Le Pew Tails: Father and Daughter
by bellechat
Summary: Sequel to Le Pew Tails Enjoy!
1. She's in Serious Condition

I do not own Pepe

I do not own Pepe

I do own Pheffe and Pepe's family

**Le Pew Tails: Father and Daughter **

By:

bellechat

_**Chapter One**_

"_**She's in Serious Condition." **_

The night at the Le Pew's house was peaceful and quiet. Nancy was settled down in her rocking chair that she had rocked all her children to sleep in with a cup of tea. Henry sat in the window seat and read out loud the newspaper to her. Upstairs Marie and Ann were pretending to be asleep when really they were writing music notes and lyrics together under the sheets with a flashlight. Josephine and Joan had stopped arguing for the night to sleep. Diego finally home after a couple of days slept in his old room and next door Shamus studied a chemistry book. Louis softly played notes on his old telecaster.

So quiet and serene everything was until the phone rang loudly. Nancy got up to get it.

"Bonjour! Monsieur and Mademoiselle Henry Le Pew residence," she repeated her usual answer.

"Mom?" said a familiar voice.

"Pepe!" Nancy gasped. "Sacre bleu! Are you all right? Where were you? We called. No answer. I've been needing answers to many questions.

"So do I," he answered. "Mom, I need to bring Pheffe to you quickly."

"Why?" Nancy asked. "Eez she seeck?"

"Tres," was the answer.

"Bring her now!!" Nancy ordered. She hung up and fetched her aid kit.

"Pheffe's seeck," she told Henry.

Henry grew concerned. Still, it was best to not awake everyone else.

"Keep quiet." He suggested. "Unless you want everyone up for one eell child."

Shortly, Pepe crept in the house with Pheffe drooping over like a dying flower.

"Oh! My grandbaby!" Nancy sobbed and lifted her into her arms.

"Take her up to Pepe's old room," Henry said. "What happened to both of you?" he asked his firstborn.

"Eet's necessary," Pepe fiercly whispered. Still, in his heart was bitterness, revenge, and seething anger from his fight with Penelope.

Pheffe was tucked in the same bed Penelope had rested in when she had her first morning sickness experience.

She was trembling all over and seemed to be close to death. Nancy took her temperature which came out normal. Her tongue was not red nor did she have a stuffy nose. Obviously she did not have a cold or a fever.

"It might be cheells," Nancy said calmly. "I'll get her warm milk."

Louis poked his head in after hearing soft talking.

"What eez wrong?" he whispered to his brother.

"Pheffe eez not well," Pepe said straightly.

"I can see zhat," Louis said.

Nancy came back up with a sauce pan of warm milk with a spoon.

"Several small spoonfuls and she'll be fine," she said confidently. She took a spoonful a put it to Pheffe's lips, but something was wrong. She would not open her mouth. Even when Louis lowered her jaw line down she would not swallow. Milk leaked out from the corners of her mouth. Louis also noticed something else.

"Why eez she bruised all over?" he said. He lifted one of her limp arms and examined the bruises that were visibly on her black fur-like skin.

Nancy got up and paced. She stubbornly tried more old tricks out of the book to cure anything. Nothing worked. Then Louis stated it was logical to take Pheffe to the hospital, but Nancy was determined to do this on her own.

"Nancy," Henry said. "Zhe more you dwaddled weeth your old ways of mothering zhe more frail she'll get eef we don't get extra help. Her health eez at risk and eet's beyond your own wisdom. We'll take her now before she gets worse. She's in serious condition"

Reluctantly Nancy let them, but she went with them. All seemed quiet in the hospital the same one Pheffe had been born in four years before.

Quickly, she was in a room and being examined.

"Hmm," the nurse mumbled. "I don't like eet. Her blood pressures low: too low. Zhose bruises look awful. She won't eat you say. She eez tres leemp. You want my honest opinion? I don't know what eez wrong."

"Zhat's why I never brought my sons and daughters here!!" Nancy lashed out.

"Nancy!" Henry demanded. "Let zhem do zhere job."

"I am," Nancy snapped.

The nurse left to get a doctor.

Louis sat down and bit one of his nails.

"So you knew notheeng zhat happened to her?" he asked Pepe.

"No!" Pepe said frustrated. "I never knew where she was or what happened."

"We should call zhe gendarmes," Nancy said.

"I'm not so sure zhat the police weell go one a wild goose chase all over France at zhis moment Cherie. Especially zhis late at night." Henry said.

The doctor (a middle-aged rabbit) came in. She looked concerned at Pheffe's bruises the most.

"She has no temperature," she said. She scribbled down her thoughts on a clipboard.

"For her not eating I'd say we should put her on a feeding tube for a while. At least a week. I'm more concerned about zhese bruises. Zhey look like she was forced in a way."

"What are zhe chances of her getting zhem?" Pepe asked.

"You want eet straight?" the doctor asked after a pause.

"Oui, eef eet helps." he answered.

"Okay," the doctor sighed. "Zhose bruises do not look like she had bumped into a coffee table, but somezhing else."

"And zhat would be?" Nancy asked.

"Abusement." said the nurse coming back in.

"Mhm." the doctor said. "I guess zhat she was abused…" She could not the rest, but everyone caught on in horror.

"How would you know?" Louis asked who usually never jumped to conclusions."

"Bruises, and by examining her lower stomach with catscans and x-rays." She answered.

"The zhings I have seen yet of zhat abusement maybe what happened to her. Steell, a 50/50 chance she was not."

"Can you find out?" Pepe asked desperately.

"Eentend too I weell as soon as possible." The doctor said.

In the blink of an eye Pheffe was taken to be examined thoroughly.

The four Le Pew's stayed in her hospital room. Nancy sat down in a chair shaking hard, feeling hopeless. Louis and Henry did not rest. They stood up near the door waiting for the news to come back. At of all of them Pepe was the most miserable. He stared out the window at the Parisian lights. It felt good to be back in Paris, but sad to be here in a hospital with a sick daughter. Whenever he saw that wedding ring on his finger he narrowed his eyes at it and let out an angry exhale thought his nose. He dared to not look at it for a long time in that room.

After an hour the doctor came back with a gentle smile.

"She was not abused as thought." She said. "Abused physically, but not in any other way. Zhose bruises up close looked as eef she was dragged along with long nails and a tight greep."

"She'll be alright?" Nancy asked.

"Oui," she answered. "She just has to stay here for a week and learn to eat again."

By now it was two in the morning. Henry reminded Nancy of the rest of the family back at home and that they should take there leave. Louis left too. He had an important interview with another comic business. Pepe could not bear to leave Pheffe alone so he stayed in that room waiting for her to be brought back.

Pheffe, before long had a feeding tube up her nose and an IV shot through her right hand. She went into a coma. Pepe pulled a chair close to her side and rested his chin in his hands. Feeling, guilty and that it was all fault she was in pain he whispered to her though she could not hear him.

"You never deserved zhis," he said lacing his hand into one of her hands.

_Author's Note: In order are Nancy's and Henry's kids incase you are growing confused. _

_1. Pepe 2. Louis 3. Diego 4. Shamus 5. Jo__séphine__ 6. Joan 7. & 8. Marie and Ann because they are twins. _


	2. A Time to Heal

(_Skunkette is the Looney Tune version of Barbie.) _

I do not own Pepe (or Penelope) blah, blah, blah!

I do own Pepe's family and Pheffe. blah, blah, blah let's get on with the show!

_**Chapter Two **_

_**A Time to Heal **_

"We'll meet upon zhe shore, we'll keess just like before," sang a haltingly Pepe. He felt like a zombie. Nearly a whole day in that same hospital room with Pheffe who was still in serious condition. Her heart monitor kept her heart rate, showing a steady pulse.

Pepe's eyes slowly moved from the monitor to Pheffe's worn, but serene face. She looked like she was in a deep sleep that would last for years. Then, his eyes were drawn to what he had been avoiding. The wedding ring.

It was still there. Angry thoughts flooded back and took over. He felt a desire to tear it off! A need to discard it and never wear it again. He tried yanking it, but it stayed on. He barely ever took it off before. Now, he went mad. He hocked on it and tried to get the slimy gunk from his throat to ease it off his finger. Finally, he bit it and slipped it off. He held it in his other hand and finally, as if to say it was over, he threw it on the floor. A cling and rattle was heard as if hit the cold, tiled floor.

Pepe then crossed his arms on the bed and rested his chin on them. He started out, eyes narrow with bitterness. It could have lasted from then on if Pheffe had not been there.

Strange thoughts Pepe had never thought of grew. Why and where had Pheffe existed? Thoughts of what would have happened if he and Penelope had never met. What if they had? If they had it could have been crazy. One night together, she leaves, Pheffe born. Pepe never knowing. Never knowing Pheffe or even facing the fact she was not real was not a pleasant thought.

Nancy came into the room.

"Sweetie," she whispered. "You should go home."

"No, Mom." Pepe said though he was tired and wanted to clean up from the past weeks.

"Sil vous plait dear," his mother said putting a hand to his shoulder.

Reluctantly, Pepe stood up to go home while Nancy stayed with Pheffe. She noticed the ring on the floor and looked out nervous as her son left the room.

The house was so quiet and empty. The countertop had collected some dust. The rooms were bare without life in them.

Tired, Pepe flopped on the same bed he had known for years. He lay on his back for a while and stared at the ceiling. Absent-mindedly he reached for the side table drawer and felt his way through it. He felt the loose board that when lifted revealed his journals. (The one from his teen years and the one Penelope gave him at their first Christmas together.)

He pulled both out. He thumbed through the first pages and had a smile twitching. So many memories and so many silly things from the past… those were still dear to him.

He noticed a dry rose petal sticking out from one of the pages. He flipped to it and felt his heart ache when he read it. (This is what it said:)

Feb13

_Penelope had been living with me for a while. I thought that I was just in another trance when I followed her around. When I realized she was gone, I felt miserable. Then, she trips over me and I saw her eyes suddenly look at me and I knew I was truly in love with her. It took all my strength to not suddenly grab her into my arms. (However, I was nervous to even touch her.) She must be "the one" or I would not want her living with me and resting at my side. Now, I feel the courage to ask her the question no man feels 100 confident of asking; "Will you marry me?" _

_I have expectations already that she may say yes, but I feel more assured that she will say no. If she does I will act fine and stay friends if she wants to. _

_But, I know that my heart will break and beg her to reconsider. I already know that I am drowning in the waves of love for her and that I can't swim my way out of the tide. Reality in speaking I would not like it (and who would?)For my emotions of her… I love the feeling. _

Pepe swallowed hard at that last paragraph. How could he forget! An hour later, they had confessed their feelings to each other.

With a deep sigh, he knew what he had to do.

A few hours later, he was back with Pheffe, but refreshed. He brought her old pink blanket and Skunkette doll.

He sat in a stool and waited patiently for her to awake. The darkness of night was wrapping Paris up for sleep, but the lights were glowing warmly.

Something shiny caught his attention on the night table. His ring.

Looking down at his bare finger it scolded him. He stood and gently lifted it as if it was breakable. Delicately, he placed it in his palm and slumped against the wall to the floor. He stared at it for a long time and knew what had to be said.

"I'm sorry Pen, I'll still stay commited whether you love me or not."

With that he slipped it back on and vowed to Penelope that he would never take it off until they met again.

And thousands of miles away, on a train, sitting on a pile of straw was his wife. Who was thinking the same thing.


	3. A Road to Recovery

I do not own Pepe or Penelope

I do own Pepe's and family including Pheffe (who is getting better! Yay! Oops! Spoiler.)

_**Chapter Three**_

_**A Road to Recovery **_

Pheffe turned over in her sleep. She had been in coma for nearly a week. Ann and Marie had visited their niece just a day before for the first time. The girls were now twelve. Pheffe was near turning four.

Pepe still stayed faithful by staying close to her. He leaned casually back in a more comfortable chair in the room. At this time he was wondering what to tell Pheffe about Penelope being away. This would like telling a child that her parents were divorcing.

His thoughts were interrupted by a snuffle from Pheffe and her sitting up. She blinked her sweet black eyes and suddenly seeing the feeding tube stuck up her nose went cross-eyed and lifted it up weirdly.

"What zhe sacre bleu has happened to me?!" she cried in shock.

A great relief flowed into Pepe's worn brain and heart. He nearly jumped out of the chair slid on his knees to the floor to her bed. He took his hand in her and looked her right in the eyes.

"Pheffe," he said slowly. "Do you know you who I am?"

"Le duh," she answered. "You're my daddy."

Pepe suddenly pulled her into a tight hug and felt as if all his concerns were gone forever. Pheffe's little arms hugged him tightly too.

"Daddy, why were you not zhere when zhey hurt me?" she asked.

"I couldn't get to Leetle Fleur," he said gently, still holding her tightly.

Now, it would be better. Even Pheffe seemed to know. It would not be long until the feeding tube was out of her nose and she could eat solid food.

In just two days Pheffe was eating real food all over again and lots of it.

Louis came by one afternoon and could not help but smile when he saw her chow down on lasagna, garlic bread, huge sticks of celery and onion soup. When she finished eating she chugged down on a huge glass of berry cider.

"You may want to leave room een your stomach," he chuckled. "Grandma eez planning to make you a huge dinner once you are home."

Pheffe barely paid attention. However, Louis smiled and took the newspaper.

On the front page it said in big, bold print; "**Rockstar Now Shooting Star." **

Then the article read; "**June Vineyard famous star in early twenties who brought us clever hits including "_Rebel Boy_," "_Easy_," "_My Big Start" _and_ "When You Take Your Leave" _was arrested for illegal gambling in Toulouse with her band. She pleaded not guilty and was off the hook. Still, she plans to leave the stage and take on a new life as a choreographer for new pop group LTweens The question is will there be anyone as good as her or as Stella Thunder was? Only time will tell. 'No way will anyone be better than me!!' the twenty-one year old says. Stella had not been heard on stage for nearly twenty years, but we remember how warm she was to June's stardom and rising up to be famous."**

"Zhe nerve of some," Louis said. "Pheffe I know you won't grow up like either of zhese women."

"Why?" Pheffe asked with a mouthful of crepes suzette.

"Let's just say zhat zhese women needed soap in zhere mouths several times." Louis

answered.

_Author's note: Sorry it's short. I ran low on ideas, but this is part of the story you will hear of June Vineyard and Stella Thunder again. By the way, guess who June Vineyard is supposed to represent in the Looney Tunes world? Stella will be revealed later. Don't forget to do my poll! :) _


	4. Going Home

**Happy Father's Day! We love you dads everywhere! **

I do not own Pepe or Penelope

I do own Pepe's family and Pheffe

(Warning: read this chapter with some Kleenex at hand.)

_**Chapter Four **_

_**Going Home **_

With a great bang of the door, Pheffe rushed into the house. She sniffed the familiar smells and took in all the familiar sights. She felt like she had been away for years!

She ran into her bedroom and flopped on her bed with great enthusiasm. She inhaled the scent of her pillow and sheets. How wonderful it felt to be home! For a while all was calm. Until…

Pheffe blew her very first tantrum in her whole life!!

"I WANT CREPES NOW!!" she screamed.

"You know zhat you cannot have sweets before dinner," Pepe said firmly back.

"I'M HUNGRY!!" she screamed back.

"Pheffe you have to wait," Pepe replied back.

"WHY ARE YOU BEING SO MEAN?!"

"Because you are acting immature!"

"I WANT CREPES SUZETTE NOOOW!!"

"PHEFFE! DINNER IS BEING DELAYED BECAUSE GRANDMOZHER HAS BEEN FOR US! BE PATIENT!"

Pheffe could no longer take the wait for one dinner and wanted a whole lot more of food after her starvation of weeks. She was still hungry from it. She suddenly yelled out words that parents never want to hear; "I HATE YOU!!"

Pepe narrowed his eyes at her fiercely and said in a hard voice;

"Pheffe Rosalie Le Pew what deed you say?!"

"I HATE YOU!"

No parent would tolerate it and Pepe was the most of them. He firmly took Pheffe by the wrist and marched her to her room. He pulled her small rocking chair and made her sit.

"Unteel you speak calmly, you weell seet here." he said.

Pheffe screamed loud and hard. Pepe left the room calmly and shut the door. Pheffe lept out of her chair and yanked on the doorknob. Pepe stood outside of the door easily holding on to the knob on the other side. Pheffe kicked the door and screamed very loud. She sounded like a fire alarm. She screamed on and on for a whole hour and a half.

Then with one huge and ear-piercing scream that made Pepe flinch she fell on the floor and panted. She crawled to the rocking chair and sobbed with frustration.

"I've never heard such a loud scream seence Josephine was nine and she whined about not having zhe latest fashion line." he said to himself.

Throughout all the screaming and knowing Pheffe would give up on opening the door he had set himself on the couch reading the newspaper. Seeing the comic he and Louis created not too long ago brought back memories of being a child of Pheffe's age, but it was different for him he had enjoyed the responsibilities of becoming a sibling at that time.

Though things were now quiet he did not go in. Pheffe needed to cool of completely and she could trap him by throwing another tantrum.

As much as it hurt him to hear is only child scream that she hated him he knew she was only angry. It is better to have a disciplined child than a spoiled one. He knew that after just one year experience of junior high.

All the kids seemed spoiled and when they never got something they whined for it. Pepe on the other hand learned early on that getting something is better when you earn it.

Finally, after all that thinking he quietly opened the door and got on his knees. He glanced in to see Pheffe rocking in her chair aleady in her light blue silk pajamas and singing. Her stomach growled.

"Shut up stomach, eet's all your fault zhat I'm een timeout for zhe first time and I yelled out daddy for zhe first time." She then sang softly;

"No fun. No fun. Staring at zhe wall. Weesh I had a har-mon-ee-ca."

Pepe smiled gently at hearing her sing. He crept on his knees to her and turned the chair around to face him.

Pheffe looked down to hide her light pink eyes that were from crying and her tear-stained face. Her thick black hair fell swept down hiding it more. Obviously, she was sorry. Very sorry.

Pepe gently lifted her into his arms and sat on her bed. Pheffe still looked down.

"So eets your stomach fault zhat you yelled?" he said kindly.

Pheffe nodded but still didn't look him in the eye.

"Pheffe," Pepe began. He paused and wondered how bring up his question.

"Eez zhere any other reason zhat you were upset?"

Nod.

Pepe knew at once what was wrong but still asked. "What eez eet?"

Pheffe looked straight into the eyes that were so much like hers. Her lips crumpled up into the strange way a person does before they cry. Her eyes watered up fast. She whispered with a gulp in her throat to hold back the sobs. "

Mommy ain't here."

Quickly, she buried her face into his shoulder to stop crying. She trembled. Pepe pulled her back to look at her face. Tears brimmed her eyelashes and were ready to start a waterfall. Its one thing when a child cries from being hurt physically, but it was another thing to see a child cry about a hurting heart.

"So zhats eet." he said. "You meess her. I meess her just as much."

Stop eet. Can't cry." Pheffe said to herself.

"What?"

"When you were away and Uncle Louis was weeth me a nurse told me to not cry and be brave."

Pepe rolled eyes annoyed. "How old do nurses zhink you are?"

Reaching for her pink blanket Pepe held Pheffe with one thin-looking but strong arm. He put the blanket around her shoulders for her security.

"Oh, Pheffe." he sighed. "You never should hold back your crying. Eets not healthy to hold een your tears. Don't let people tell you to not cry; because when you cry for someone you love you show how much love you have for zhat someone."

Pheffe leaned back in his arms in ease. Soon, she was a baby again. Her head resting in the crook of his arm, her small hand held in the wrapping of Pepe's right hand and his other arm around her knees.

"Eets okay to be sad Leetle Fleur." he concluded.

Pheffe was quiet as her tears ran into little rivers on her cheeks. She didn't sob, but she was crying. When her tears stopped she looked apologetically to Pepe.

"Sorry I yelled." she said softly.

"Apology accepted." said her kind-hearted daddy. "No matter how many times you say 'I hate you' zhere always an 'I love you' not to far away."

Pheffe smiled content with everything. She was so content her eyelids closed and her lashes fluttered. She was the newborn Pepe had fallen in love with at first sight all over again.

With a kiss on the nose that flinched like his Pepe whispered. "Bonne nuit Cherie. I'll always love you."

_Author's Note: Wow! I was in tears when I wrote this. I'm so sentimental aren't I? Don't forget to vote on my poll. _:)


	5. Not So Great High School Reunion

Please go back to Le Pew Tails to read about characters mentioned in Chapter 5 & 6

_Please go back to Le Pew Tails to read about characters mentioned in Chapter 5 & 6. _

I don't own Pepe or Penelope

I do own Pheffe, the Le Pew family and pretty much all of _Napoleon Bonaparte High School _

_**Chapter Five**_

_**Not So Great High School Reunion **_

"I can't believe they actually expect us to come to zhese reunion!" Louis said upsettingly.

"Fifteen years and zhey expect us to come back," Pepe agreed. "High school was not my highlight of life."

"Same hear," Louis said.

"What's so bad about eet?" Henry asked. He along with Nancy were having a family dinner with three of their sons and granddaughter.

"I know you both hated it and were in the same grade but zhat eez no excuse," Shamus said.

Quietly, Pheffe was oblivious to the whole controversial conversation, but she agreed with her uncle Shamus on what he said. Shamus was really smart; he was a biologist/chemist. He had been in Baltimore for a few years before she was born and had studied there. However, living in America, had made him loose his accent just a bit. So whenever he talked he would have an American accent then go into a French and it would go back and forth between accents. She loved him a lot though.

Shamus with floppy, relaxed bangs compared to the snaggy ones his brothers had given him a complexion of a calm, friendly look and his eyes would be either full of wit or a suave manner that would make any femme go crazy. Yet, no came upon to call. He did have feelings for one of the attractive female chemists at the lab named Kortney.

"Why go?" Louis said. "No one liked us, popular ones scorned us, and no girl found us handsome for dates."

Nobody find Pepe or Louis handsome?! Pheffe would not see it. They were always handsome in her eyes even Diego and Shamus were handsome. Simple handsome.

Diego, well, he was the wild one and the comedian. He had droopy white bangs and never seemed serious about anything. He had more girlfriends than Pepe and Louis had combined which was not a grand total.

"Now you two," Nancy said clearing her plate to the kitchen. "Don't hang on to zhe past. I know eet was not your best years, but I weesh I wan een high school longer. I was zhere for only a year and a half."

"You married Dad," Pepe said following her. "I'm actually zhinking zhat you both had zhe smart idea."

"Smart?!" Henry said with a great laugh. "Non! We were foolish keeds who were een love."

Nancy smiled with an agreement.

"Maybe we could go for a while," Louis said thinking aloud. "Go for a few meenutes grab some cake and leave."

"Fine, eets settled." Pepe said with a sigh. "I'll drop Pheffe here at 7:00."

"I wanna go!" Pheffe suddenly cried out. She crawled out of her boosted chair and ran to Pepe and clung onto his knee.

"Pheffe you actually want to come and here old people talk about zhe old days?" Louis asked amused.

"You've got to admire her," Shamus said. "She may want to like zhe grown-ups."

Pepe gave a "don't-encourage-her" look. Pheffe still clung on.

"You really want to come?" Pepe said looking down at her. Pheffe nodded. "You may get bored."

"I won't," Pheffe promised.

It was settled. Pheffe would go especially when Louis pointed out that she could get them to leave early by whining after being there for a short amount of time.

Four days later, a Tuesday night, both brothers and girl where nervously entering the gym. The same gym where Louis had eight bloody noses from sports. The same gym where Pepe had been hit in the head by every single sports equipment by Stacey Fair.

In fact, Stacey Fair was there, dressed in Prada labeled clothes; a strapless, glittery, pink dress that was right at her knees. It clung to her curves and showed off long legs and matching pumps. Her brown hair was wispy and flirtatious. She held a cocktail drink filled with red stuff and a lime.

"Stacey Fair, zhe skimpy ferret." Pepe said to himself, but not loud enough for Pheffe to hear.

"Drinking alert!! Drinking alert!! Drinking alert!!" Louis whispered sharply. He was a very serious person who never drank.

"Popular girl alert." Pepe whispered back.

"Ick. I know." Louis said. "Look at Zoey Frasier!"

Zoey Frasier, the raccoon, a smart one back then was decked out in a peach colored cocktail dress with matching ballet slipper shoes. Her glasses were gone and replaced with contact lenses. She had a martini.

Then two foxes came towards Stacey. It was Shanica Pace and Cameo Xavier. Shanica was in a strapless purple, shimmering dress with felt maroon roses and a matching head band for her short ears. She had really skinny high heels that were a bright yellow. Cameo was in a shimmering, halter aqua blue dress that clung to her hips, but the skirt went right to the floor. Her matching boots were still visible underneath. Her dyed blonde hair was in up in chopsticks and she had on a long pearl necklace.

Then those four women, counting them all, Shanica, Cameo, Stacey, and Zoey, stood in a group and chatted aloud.

"Spilt up and we won't have to hear each ozhers shame," Louis whispered.

"Agreed." Pepe said.

Both went separate ways, Pheffe wanting to follow her uncle to the food table.

Pepe had hoped to sneak over to the wall and hope to be ignored. It worked. Until, he could no longer bear leaning against the wall anymore. He was surprised (as much as Louis was) to see that more than fifteen minutes had passed. He sat off at one of the tables set up near the gym door that lead to the hallway. Little known to him was that someone was already there. A skunk with messy hair that was not pulled back in a familiar ponytail and grungy clothes sat across from him and was eating the blue-frosted cake that had been served much earlier that evening.

"High School reunions are no fun huh?" she said.

"No." Pepe answered. Then turned to face the voice and was amazed to see it was Joy Hathaway.

The girl he had like liked once before. She was nothing like what she had been. Her eyes were dull and sad. Her face had faint bruises and a cut over one of her left eyebrow. She wore a black hoodie with grass-stained and worn jeans with chunky black boots.

"Joy?" he said in surprise.

"Yeah, what left of her." she said.

"What-" he began.

"If you must know." Joy said sitting up straight. "I got pulled out in Sophomore year as you might have already known. Why was I? My parents were arrested for child abuse and the child was me. With them in jail I stayed with my grandmother then my dad's parents fought to have me, they won, only to treat me as their maid. I ran away not to long later and was offered jobs in bars and clubs. I even stayed in Monte Carlo for a while working as a cook for a rich family. Then, I came back to Paris four years ago and stayed in a old club- a bad club incase your curious. I was manipulated by all and hated. Then just when I thought I had found the right guy he would turn me down. Last one, made me end up like this!!"

She stood up and being covered up by her hoodie was a slight bump on her lower belly. Anyone who remembered their mother expecting a baby would recognize that type of belly anywhere and for Pepe it was seven times. She was pregnant.

"Now, I'm all alone!" Joy said sitting down. "I have nowhere to go and when I overheard about the reunion I hoped some would offer to help me, but none have."

Pepe felt very, very sorry for her. He said nothing except stare down at the table. Joy looked down at the table too.

"I –uh- like the comic strip you and your brother have been writing in the Parisian Times." she said with a small smile.

"Oh, merci." He said back. "You recognized who zhe characters are supposed to be een reality?"

"Yeah," she said. "Faith Hollywood. I like that. I laughed at Traci Flare, Bianca Lace, Amber Xena, and Monique McPleasure. Pepin is everything you were; trying so hard to be confident, and ladies-man, when really he's sweet and full of his own dreams."

"Zhats what I eentended," Pepe said starting to feel comfortable around Joy.

Joy spoke again. "I never told anyone this but; you were the only one in school who was ever nice to me. Sometimes you were annoying, but you never called me a loser or other bad words. I haven't had anyone like that in a long time until tonight."

"I'm married!" Pepe said quickly.

"Oh, I wasn't making a move." Joy said understandingly. "I can see that you are by that ring. I meant someone else. A little girl who had this cake I am eating gave it to me. At first, I said 'no thank you' she kept on persisting me, but I still said 'no." Then she said 'You're more hungry than I am.' She left it hear and left."

Joy smiled and said; "I've not had a gesture of kindness like that in a long time. Whoever raised her did an awesome job."

Pepe was clueless until he heard a voice he loved hearing.

"Daddy!" Pheffe cried joyfully. She climb into his arms and pointed excited at Stacey Fair. "She speeled her dreenk all over her dress!" She then climbed out of his arms and skipped to where Louis was being lectured by one of the teachers.

Joy stared at her wide-eyed. "She-she- she's yours?!"

"My leetle blossoming fleur a.k.a my daughter." Pepe said happily. "She begged to come. Before _you _ask anytheeng, my wife eez- on a treep weeth _her_ family."

"Oh that's nice." Joy said. "Funny that you are not with her."

"You wouldn't want be zhere either," Pepe said under his breath.

Joy stood up. "I'll have to leave now. There is a shelter that takes care of single soon-to-be mothers not to far away I've heard. Maybe they'll let me stay."

"I hope zhey do," Pepe said. Joy smiled at him and he smiled back. With that she took one of the doors and left.

It was late at night when Pepe was heading towards home with a tired Pheffe at his side.

"Mommy meesed out on zhe fun," she said.

Pepe agreed with her, but knew Pheffe was still missing her. Then, he thought of something that would at least hopefully make her and him feel better.

"Pheffe I want to show you somezhing," he said.

Pheffe, enthusiastic as usual was excited. Pepe took an alleyway that he took before he popped the question to Penelope. After giving Pheffe a hand up the fire escape up the old deserted building the two where at the top. Pheffe sat down and looked around.

"Where are we?" she asked.

Pepe sat next to her and with a smile said; "Zhis eez where Mommy and I had our very first keess."

Pheffe leaned into his arms and stared out seeing the pale moon and the glow of the Eiffel Tower.

"Oh Daddy," she sighed wistfully. "You are such a ladies-man. Just what Mommy needed."

_Author's Note: There will be more info about the reunion involving the popular girls. Thank you also for voting on my poll. Hilary Duff wins. Please remember that parodies in Looney Tunes are not to be insulting or making fun of real celebrities. They are just parodies. _


	6. High School Rival Redux

I do not own Pepe or Penelope

I do own students and so forth at Napoleon Bonaparte High and the whole Le Pew family

_**Chapter Six**_

_**High School Rival Redux **_

Joy had left. Pepe stared out, thinking hard. He felt that talking to Joy had made him accept the past and learn from someone else's point of view. Maybe, he could learn to get along with those mean girls. After all, they were all adults.

Yet, when he turned to see them and take the chance to call a truce between the rivalries, it looked like Louis had already tried and was failing.

Stacey was throwing her martini glass full of that drink at him and laughing. Shanica and Zoey were rooting her on. Cameo pretended she had pity for Louis when really she was just being mean.

Frustrated Pepe came over and started to be polite.

"Stacey," he said. "When eez zhis ever going to end? I mean, how long are you going to keep on offending everyone?"

"As long as I want," she rudely. "I can do whatever I want Loser."

"Okay," Pepe exhaled sharply. "Seriously, Stacey most of us here are thirty, why not act like eet?"

"I can if I want." She said rudely again.

"Yeah, dud Loser." Zoey said.

"We always knew you and Spewey Louis would always be losers." Shanica said.

"No girl, no house still living at home." Said a baby voiced Cameo.

"No leesten here," Louis said aloud.

"Oh, did you here that?" Stacey said. "It was Loser 2 talking!"

"I'm married!" Pepe said firmly and he was truly happy that he was. Penelope would have been happy to if she was there.

"Why even bother?" Shanica said. "We got what we wanted by being spoiled and have no husbands to bug us and we have never gotten pregnant! Birth control pills rock!!"

"We are so better than you two." Zoey said. "Marriage is a waste of time!"

The girls cackled and roared with laughter.

Both skunks were now seething with angry; teeth clenched fists tight and ready to say something nasty back as payback until Pheffe came out from behind.

"Hey," she called above the laughter.

They stopped and looked down at her with snippy eyes.

"Zhat was mean and you hurt me just as much as you hurt zhem" she said loudly.

"Oh my." Cameo said dramatically. "_We never meant that_!"

Pheffe, Pepe and Louis' eyes were almost shooting up in fierce anger now and Pheffe was not going to tolerate it.

She stomped on Stacey's foot who knocked over Zoey who stumbled backwards into the cake! Pheffe then pushed Stacey and she did the same as Zoey and landed in the punch bowl. Shanica and Cameo were laughing until Pheffe threw fistfuls of hot sauce on their dresses. The women screamed and dried to rub it off causing a bigger stain.

Now, all stared at her. Louis clapped aloud. Stacey and Zoey stomped over and looked menacingly at Pepe.

"Your little brat is an idiot!!" They both screamed.

"I know." Pepe said confidently. "But she weell grow out eet just like I deed."

"But you four," he said sternly and not afraid." You four weell never stop being jerks because you can't let go of your old mean days and move on weeth your life and peeck on cheeldren!"

That was it. The four stomped out and everyone else went on with amused attitudes and saying that Pheffe would go far.


	7. Stuck on Le Seas

I do not own Pepe or Penelope

I do not own Pepe or Penelope

I do own the Le Pews, Pheffe and workers at _Eiffel Tower Comics_

_**Chapter Seven **_

_**Stuck on Le Seas **_

The salty-sea air rose up from the docks with a rosy pink sky in late afternoon, but the only disappointing faces among the passengers was Pepe and Pheffe.

"Eef only Louis deed not get sea-seeck," Pepe said to himself. Cruises were not on his to-do list and with him and Louis getting passes on _French Waters_, but Louis not strong enough at sea

Going along with the father and daughter was three other members from the _Eiffel Tower Comics _Studio: Andre Benson, Georgette Venturi, and Charlene Coleman.

Andre was the secretary for comic artist Gulliver Bends who wrote the _Dillon_ comics. Charlene was the assistant for two comics artists the not-so-easy-to-get-along-with Burt Herman who wrote the _Marcie _comics and the friendly and nice Chandler N. Schumacher who created the world-wide famous _Pistachios_. Georgette was the secretary and assistant for Ryan Anders who created _Fish eat Frieda_.

While that went on Pepe and Louis were the coffee and doughnut fetchers, bringing everyone's snakes every minute. Who comic artists got so hungry? However, that would soon change for both of them.

It wasn't two hours later when dinner started. The huge buffet table went on for miles it seemed to little Pheffe and while Pepe sat with her at a small table the three workers gossiped.

"I can't imageene why Louis would geeve up zhis luxurious cruise," Andre said.

"He said he gets seeck on roller coasters and boats," Charlene said. "We have to take heez word for eet."

"Well, why deed Pepe bring her?" Georgette said. "Bringing zhat leetle carpet mouse weeth heem."

"Zhe sea weell do her good," Andre said. "I never saw Zhe Ocean at a young age. How old eez she?"

"Three, but she'll be four next week," Charlene said.

"What a brat," Georgette said.

"She's not a brat," Andre said. "Eef she was Pepe would have no peectures her in heez wallet."

Little did anyone of them know, Pheffe would soon shine on that voyage in her own little way.

_Author's Note: Sorry its short! _


	8. A Rise to Stardom

I do not own Pepe or Penelope

I do own people at _Eiffel Tower Comics,_ Nancy, Louis and Pheffe

_**Chapter Eight **_

_**A Rise to Stardom **_

It was later that night and Pheffe was asleep dreaming about stand-up comedy. She saw herself doing impressions of famous people and all smiled and laughed.

While that went on in her dreams Pepe sat awake in his bed and rapidly jotted down notes for the next comic. He and Louis had been thinking of ways to make their series even better. Some were considering to show political or serious issues like smoking or abuse to children. How to incorporate that into a comic like this one was not easy.

Pepe's mind wandered away from the notes and he went to sleep.

A loud thunk outside the door interrupted his sleep hours later. Seeing that is was five in the morning Pepe quietly opened the door to find the newspaper. He took out a small flashlight and read the headline which read:

**Comic Ratings Soar High! **

Listed below were the top 20 comic ratings and at the second from the #1 was _Pepin and Trenton_.

Pepe's mouth dropped down in shock and amusement. He blinked and read it again.

"No way!" he said aloud with happiness. "No way! No way!"

Rapidly, he reached over to the phone and dialed.

Louis had been asleep. Nancy yelled loudly from downstairs. Groaning and yawning he stumbled downstairs and grumbled.

"Yes?" he answered groggily.

"Get out zhe newspaper!" Pepe said excited.

"Eets five een zhe morning," Louis said annoyed.

"Just read zhe headline!"

"Headline?"

"Zhe headline says 'Comic Ratings Soar High!' and we are second from zhe top!"

"Seriously?!"

"Seriously!!"

"No way!!"

"I know!!"

"Au revoir old and bonjour new!"

With the happiness of the headline the cruise didn't seem so bad after all. Yet, while the crew of _Eiffel Tower Comics_ got drunk at night and stayed at the adult deck of the ship, Pepe stayed at the small deck with Pheffe and didn't care for staying out late.

The last night on the cruise came quickly and Pepe stood at the railing of the ship and stared out at the crystal blue sea with the sun setting. Pheffe stood on the lowest rail and hung on to the second top rail since she was still small.

"Daddy, do you zhink zhat Pepin and Trenton will be famous?" she asked randomly.

"I zhink zhey will be," he answered. "Eets takes time to be famous Pheffe."

"Maybe zhey weell be so famous zhey weell do a TV series and movies!" she said excited.

"I don't zhink zhat famous, but more comics and merchandise would be good enough for me and your uncle," Pepe said.

"Your comics deserve more zhan zhat," Pheffe said. "Yours are zhe best een zhe whole wide world and I'm not just saying eet because you're my daddy cause your zhe best daddy een the whole wide world."

"And you're zhe best daughter I could ever want," Pepe said lifting her into his arms and zhey both stared out until the sun sank completely down.

_Author's Note: If you are getting confused of what Pepe and Louis do for a living from the last chapter this is what I meant: Georgette was talking about when Pepe and Louis first started at the comic studio as the "food fetchers" now they work on their own series of comics together: Pepin and Trenton. _:)


	9. Safe for Now

I do not own Pepe or Penelope

I do not own Pepe or Penelope

I do own the Pussycat family.

_**Chapter Nine **_

_**Safe for Now **_

Now while that had been going on with Pepe and Pheffe, Penelope had been dealing with things not so well.

As soon as that boxcar door closed she was still angry. Her heart seethed in anger for hours it seemed. The long night turned into a warm morning, but she didn't know.

She had been by herself in that boxcar with her ring off her finger as well. She had flicked it to the other side and didn't go to it for days as the family traveled.

Finally, after three days of ignoring it, the Pussycats stopped at a small town which was very far from Orleans and even farther from Paris. Penelope felt strange in such a small town which would have been like a flea to an elephant if comparing it with the size of Paris.

"Papa?" she asked Leonardo. "Where are we going?"

"I was hoping your sisters knew," he said.

That was no good. They didn't know!

Bryony was keeping this secret.

"All I know is that shortly after you ran away the second time when your mother- kicked you, she wanted to move somewhere." he answered. I told her it was not necessary. She said nothing about it until that day we left. I have regretted that day even now and I will for as long as I live. I wonder what your husband and daughter are doing now."

"I don't care at all," Penelope said bitterly.

"You will not say 'don't,'" Bryony suddenly said. "You will stop that talk and forget everything that reeking, bushy-tailed brute has ever told you."

With the stop in the small town for collecting more belongings that had been ordered in catalogs the family were back on the train.

The train went on and on and on. Then even farther.

Penelope left the boxcar every other day to stay in the first class coach with her parents. Bryony of course ignored her.

After two weeks, Penelope lost track of the days. When she woke up one gray morning (though she didn't know it,) she felt the train picking up speed.

She rolled to her other side and was disappointed to find only the same straw she had been sleeping on the whole time.

The side door of the boxcar opened which lead to the other car. It was Francine. She looked worried.

"Penelope?" she said. "You should come out here."

"Why?" Penelope asked.

Francine gave her a swift hand motion of "come on!"

Penelope followed her into the car that contained her parents. She looked outside through the window and saw four things: the gray sky, blurs of green rushing past of a field, a sign that read in some language she didn't understand and a blur of red and blue lights.

"It is a cop!!" Francine nearly screamed in her ear.

"A cop?!" Penelope gasped.

Now they were both scared. The train picked up more speed. The sisters were knocked over by the acceleration. With a hard thud they landed on their backs. They sat up and looked bewildered.

"What is going on?!" Guiliane yelled from her private room. She stomped out hanging on to her doorway. Her face coated thickly in an avocado facial mask and a towel over her head.

"Why are we going faster?!" she hollered. She clutched her bathrobe together as she tried to tie the sash.

"Beats me!" Francine hollered.

Leonardo came out in his pajamas and bathrobe with his pipe alit.

"Good grief I nearly got ashes on the floor because of the acceleration!" he said aloud.

"What?" Francine hollered at him. The noise of the train was getting deafening.

The train went faster and faster. All four of them fell on the floor some more and stayed there.

"I'm really starting to wish I was at home," Penelope thought. The train ride was now getting her sick in the stomach. She hated fast rides like this.

This went on for hours it seemed. It really lasted only half an hour. When the train was at a normal speed the four cats carefully stood up. Leonardo's pipe was now empty because all the tobacco had spilled on the carpet as he fell. Francine had hit her head against the floor hard and needed some ice. Penelope was feeling even more sick. Guiliane's facial mask seemed to have melted away and her towel had fallen off her head.

"Papa, there was a cop," Penelope said.

"Now calm down," Leonardo said. "First of all let us get Francine some ice."

A few minutes later they were in Guiliane's room. Her white walls had red fixtures and base boards. Her carpet was navy blue and she had a mini chandelier.

They sat on the floor and Francine felt better with the ice pack on her head.

"I do not know what caused the train to go that fast," Leonardo said. "Yet, it is no problem now. We are safe."

"For now," Guiliane whispered into Francine's ear.

Penelope heard that and really wished she was at home… by herself.


	10. Penelope Remembers

I do not own Pepe or Penelope (glad to see her back too!)

At least this and four more chappies with her. _This is mostly a Pepe and Pheffe story hence the title._  
I do own Penelope's family

_**Chapter Ten**_

_**Penelope Remembers **_

The train was at a normal speed. Everyone was petrified from the experience and stayed in their rooms. Only Bryony seemed happy. Leonardo came to see Penelope later that night in her boxcar.

"It seems that your mother was controlling the train." he said.

"What?" Penelope asked.

"She was running away from those cops, I do not know why." he said.

Penelope felt scared. When she had been scared before she knew she had a mate to rely on, but her mate was not there.

When her Leonardo left, she sat upright against the wall of the boxcar and stared out. Her hands went out at her sides and she felt something cold. Her ring.

Penelope felt miserable. She began wondering what her life would be now. Where in the world were they going now? Her side of the family, herself, where?

She felt sick as she remembered too many memories that she somehow cherished with Pheffe. She was there when Pheffe's first teeth came in, she first crawled and walked. That TV commercial for baby supplies and formula was right; babies change everything in your life for good.

Penelope knew she had been a better mother to Pheffe that Bryony had ever been to her.

Penelope suddenly felt an ache for Pheffe. An ache that grew strong she felt her eyes water at a dear memory of when Pheffe first said "Mama."

_Penelope had just put Pheffe in her crib for her nap. Penelope had kissed her forehead and was about to leave when she heard Pheffe muttering. _

"_Mmmmaaa," she said. "Mmmaaammmaaa. Mmaammaa. Mamma. Mama." _

_Penelope leaned over the crib in fascination. Her eyes watered with happiness. Pheffe looked into her black eyes and said it again affectionately. _

"_Mama," she said. "Lamoure. Mama. Dah." _

_("Dah" was how she pronounced "Dada,") _

Penelope gazed out now from her memory and suddenly her heart went into her throat at remembering "Dah."

To her, Dah was Pepe. Pepe was Penelope's only real friend. Her first real friend. Her best friend.

Tears fell from her eyes as she recalled that wonderful night she had first kissed him. She never told him but she had kissed other men, but none were like him.

Every other man had been lusting for money when they pecked her on the lips. Nothing else. Pepe, had and was different.

It seemed like when he kissed her he loved her. Only her. Love she was afraid to experience. When they first broke apart and stared into each other's eyes she saw how handsome they were. Black eyes like a midnight sky with shining without stars. So deep and emotional. They spoke for themselves it seemed. They seemed to say "I love you too dearly and want to be with you all the time."

In a way, love could be surprising. Who knew she would love someone who was not her species? He must have thought the same for a moment. She could admit he wasn't a poster boy, a six-pack macho body builder (eck!) or what would be described as a hunky dreamboat. He just himself. A tall, thin framed, extremely attractive, sweet-hearted skunk. Not too mention French. How many women would die to at least date some one who had an accent? French accents were rated as the hottest or so she had read once. Penelope realized something she never thought of until that night they kissed, although she was embarrassed to say at first: Accents made her feel wild inside and French accents really made her feel wild.

France was known for it stunning architecture, fashion, food, and celebrities, but the thing made it well known was the romance and passion it had. After all where else would French-kissing have come from?

With all this in her head she remembered more. More and more.

So many memories flooded back.

She absent-mindedly and glazed over from all the memories had put the ring back on her finger.

She never noticed until she hit a sad thought.

"I'll never see them again," she sobbed.

Leaning against the wall of the boxcar and the rushing of the train she buried her face into her drawn-up knees and cried hard.

Next morning, she woke to feel Guiliane tapping her gently.

"Penelope," she whispered. It was five in the morning and the sun was just ready to rise. "I found out where we are according to my cell phone GPS. Brace yourself."

"Why? Where are we?" Penelope asked.

"The borders of- Italy," Guiliane said with a gulp.

"ITALY??" Penelope nearly screamed.

_Author's Note: I plan to write the night that Penelope and Pepe first had you know what eventually, but I promise to keep it appropriate and safe to read for this fic. After all, I didn't rate it M, but T. Tell me what you think. :) Okay?) _


	11. Cest Passions and Lamoure

I do not own Pepe or Penelope

I own Pheffe (Okay guys, here we go with the love scene. Don't worry nothing is graphic or nasty. This is rated T. Seriously, let me know what you think about this chapter. I'm nervous that you guys will say I ruined the story. But authors take every now and then right?) :)

_**Chapter Eleven**_

_**Cest Passions and Lamoure **_

In the quiet of the night Penelope had drifted asleep from her crying. She had been panicking as her sister and she actually talked to each other about their fears of Italy. They had never been outside of France before until now.

"What are we going to do?" Francine asked.

"WE cannot do anything," Guiliane said. "We can only hope to find ourselves at home here."

Penelope felt tears in her eyes. She really would never see her family again. She missed them so much.

"I want to go home," she said.

"We all do," Francine said gently touching her little sister's shoulder. "All except Mam."

"I just want to whack her with rolling pin for doing this to us," Guiliane said sharply.

"Would you really?" Francine said sarcastically.

"Could, would, should." Guiliane answered.

"We are not happy," Francine said. "You are not Guiliane. I am not. Penelope, your not. (Perhaps that most out of all of us.) Papa is not happy either. I hate it when he is not happy."

"If I ever get out of here," Guiliane said randomly after a few seconds of silence. "I am going to China. I want to travel. Meet a great guy, marry, have twins. Identical boys would be nice. Just enjoy my life freely for the first time."

"If I ever get out here," Penelope said. "I am walking back home and apologizing for my actions. Then, maybe settle down all over again."

"More children?" Francine asked.

"No," Penelope said dully. "Miscarriages."

The two sisters looked at Penelope with pity.

"If I ever get out of here," Francine said. "I would like to live in Hershey and live off of chocolate. Then, move to the Swiss Alps and open a candy store."

A smile twitched at their mouths at that.

Later, that night it rained. While everyone had warm rooms, Penelope stayed in the drafty boxcar. It leaked and hit her head where she lay.

She moved over to her right and leaned against that wall. She drew her knees up to her chest and hugged them. She trembled longed for warmth. For _someone_'s touch on her hands.

A flashback she loved remembering came to her.

_It was the second night they had been married. Penelope realized that she was going to sleep in the same bed with Pepe from now on. Strange, but fascinating. _

_Penelope lay on the bed and felt drowsy. Pepe knelt at her side and stared at her for a moment. She looked so beautiful lying there with her eyes part closed. He leaned in and kissed her. His tongue lightly touched her lips and she felt a strange feeling run over her. She felt a tremble run throughout her, but she actually liked it. She loved it. She opened her eyes to see her new husband walking quietly towards the only window in the room. _

_Pepe leaned against the wall next to the window staring out into the warm glow of Paris. He gently polished his wedding ring with his thumb, as if to make it shine brighter than Paris. _

_Penelope trusted him completely, but a small question was in her mind that she never had enough courage to ask him; was he pure? _

"_I'll find out on my own," she thought. "Right now." _

_She carefully, slid off the bed and kneeling low slipped off her over jacket. (It was the same outfit she wore when they first kissed. Same for Pepe.) With caution she slipped her white bra off and left it where it was. She put her over jacket back on. _

"_Just kiss him hard and see if he's confident or not." She thought. "If confident that must mean he has done it before. I think." _

_No one would have known she had no bra on. _

_She walked to him and stared out next to him. _

_Pepe leaned against the wall casually. _

"_I expected you were asleep," he said. _

"_I was, and then you kissed me," Penelope said. "I have something to ask you." _

"_What eez eet?" he asked. _

"_Have you ever-?" she began. This was too weird. "Ever-?" _

"_Pull your dress up," Pepe said quickly. _

_Penelope looked confused. _

"_Your dress is falling down," he said trying not to stare. _

_Penelope noticed the top off her dress had slipped lower to her breast, showing much cleavage and nearly revealing it all! _

_Penelope felt embarrassed, but saw her chance. She got closer to him and had him barricaded by her arms as she leaned against him. Pepe's eyes were nervous and growing big. _

"_Pepe, kiss me." She whispered. _

_Pepe's hands trembled as he touched her arms and gripped them hard. _

"_He's never done this before," Penelope thought gladly. _

_She kissed him hard on the lips. She took one of his hands hand led it to her chest. She let go of it. He trembled harder and suddenly kissed her passionately. _

_She tilted her head back and leaned back all she could. He kissed her neck and she gasped. She smiled and stifled to laugh with happiness. _

_As soon as she was gently falling backwards on the bed it was obvious that love and passion was really heating up. Pepe was at her side, propping himself up with one of his hands over her. Pepe leaned to her mouth and kissed her hard that she opened her mouth and both had the infamous French kiss. Her over jacket slipped a bit off her shoulders (the loving couple were still fully clothed) and Pepe still kissing her pulled it off for her. _

_The rest is history or Pheffe would never had existed. _

_In the early morning when it was still dark Penelope had woken up from sleep for a minute, she was so hot and sweaty from the passion she and Pepe had first experienced. _

_Three weeks later, she would be pregnant with one of the best things that ever happened to the both of them. Pheffe Rosalie Le Pew. _

Penelope felt better. She could almost feel Pepe's arms hugging her waist like when he would sneak a hug from behind her.

So many romantic memories came about.

Too many.

She closed her eyes lightly. She could feel warmth over her that seemed comforting.

"I need to get home as soon as I can," Penelope said to herself.

But how could she when she was in Italy??

Italy was beautiful she heard, but she wanted to go home…now.

She was not happy. Francine, Guiliane and Leonardo were not happy either.

No one here except her mother was happy.

Everything revolved around her mother in this family it seemed.

Penelope had hope, but it seemed bleak.

Then she realized that Pepe and Pheffe must be just as miserable.

"I wish I could see them right now," she said again.

Miles, and miles and miles and miles and miles and many more away were her dear skunks.

Somehow, they were surviving, but just the same they missed her too.

At that same time, Pepe stared out in the distance while sitting in a rocking chair in Pheffe's room. She was asleep in his arms after hearing a story about _Pepin and Trenton_. While she slept, he, ironically, was remembering that one night as well.

Author's Note: TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK OK? :)

I was nervous writing this out!


	12. As Time Goes By

I do not own Pepe or Penelope

I do own the whole Le Pew and Pussycat family. (This goes through time fast because I need to keep up with my usual plan for the story. Just your opinion, do you think I should do another Le Pew story? Let me know please, ok?) :)

_**Chapter Eleven **_

_**As Time Goes By **_

**June 2****nd**** Pheffe's 4****th**** birthday. **

A warm ray of sunshine beamed through the closed blinds on the window. After a hard day and long night of tossing and turning, Pepe was still out of it. He had miserable dreams involving Penelope and ones that had Pheffe.

The ones with Pheffe were worse because they would replay the horrible moment that Pheffe was nearly shot.

Shaking his head vigorously to knock out the bad dream he got up to open the blinds. A hot summer day was outdoors, but today was more important. Pheffe was officially four today.

Smiling big, Pepe slipped out a box from under the bed. A sound of springs being bounced on was heard from Pheffe's room. Quietly entering her room, Pepe saw Pheffe taking huge leaps on her bed and she was already in her "rockstar" outfit as Louis called it. Dark denim jeans, a lacey pink shirt and black denim jacket. Perched on her head was a silver tiara that Nancy and Henry had sent to her, but she was bouncing so much it was slipping over her right eye.

"Happy birthday Pheffe," Pepe called above the jumping.

Pheffe dropped on her knees and eagerly widened her eyes at the present.

"What eez eet?" she asked repeatedly. She ripped hard at the wrapping paper and got so anxious she started biting it off with her teeth. When opened it was exactly what she wanted…almost.

It was a pair of converse high-tops same brand as Pepe's but different. They were black, but the tongue of the shoe was a pastel pink.

"Perfect," she said. "Eef only was Mommy was here." She added under her breath sadly.

"She'd want you happy no matter what," Pepe said gently as he laced up the shoes for Pheffe. "I bet you she eez trying to send you a huge hug from where she eez."

"I'll take eet," Pheffe said. "Could she send me a keess too?"

"That too," Pepe answered.

"Two hugs?"

"Twice zhe amount."

"A 'happy birthday' and 'I love you?'"

"From her to me to you."

And that was the truth.

**Christmas **

Cold paved streets covered with bits of snow are always a lovely sight. It's even more beautiful when you are in Paris. With every store decorated for the beautiful holiday it seemed impossible for any to have reason to be a grouch. Of course that was different if you had a sibling you bickered with 24/7 and that could only happen when you had a sister either named Joan or Josephine.

A Christmas in the Le Pew household was always a nice dinner with gifts being opened afterword. Instead it was a feud that got out of hand with the two sisters and each went storming out with friends. That left everyone else to fend for themselves.

With the delayed dinner and not opening gifts a tired Pepe carried a sleepy Pheffe home.

The only thing he knew Joan wanted for Christmas was to earn that soccer scholarship at Paris University and play pro. Josephine wanted to work at _La Belle Alicia's_. An ever so fancy fashion office and business; the biggest in all of France.

It wasn't long when Pheffe was tucked into bed, but she was deep in sleep. Still around her neck was the necklace Pepe gave her for her first Christmas. Warm memories returned. As much as she liked it he never liked the idea of her sleeping while wearing it; fearing that she might choke. Carefully, he unlatched the chain and moved it in the air, taking a moment to wave it back and forth. Pheffe's small hand suddenly reached out for it and yanked it to her. She clutched it to her chest as if to keep it close to her heart.

Pepe sat in the rocking chair and dozed. He didn't' want to leave Pheffe alone this night. It was bad enough that Penelope wasn't here, so leaving Pheffe alone seemed more than enough lonesomeness for her and for him.

"Merry Christmas Pen," he thought. "Wherever you are."

**Pepe's 31****st**

Half asleep, but still with his eyes shut, he heard his bedroom door being flung open and some sweet aroma of chocolate.

"Daddy, wake up!" Pheffe said cheerfully with so much joy it seemed like Christmas.

"Not know," he mumbled. He gripped the pillow hard and buried his head under it. Pheffe would not have it.

"Wake up!" she yelled joyfully. "Eet's your birthday! I made somezhing for you!" She took out of the chocolate scented bag of coffee a necklace made from black leather string that had a plastic ring laced through.

The ring was black with a rhinestone heart on it. It was one of those rings you would get in the little quarter machines at a store. Louis had taken her "birthday shopping" just yesterday.

"What?" Pepe groaned groggily.

Pheffe crawled up on the bed to face him. She held it out with one hand as it dangled between her fingers.

"Pheffe was eez zhat?" he asked amused.

"You gave Mommy and me heart necklaces, so why can't you have one?" she said. "You have to promise zhat you'll wear eet a lot."

"I promise," he promised. He was touched that Pheffe even noticed so.

"Speet-shake?" she said.

"Nah!" Pepe said disgustedly. "We hug!" With that he took Pheffe in his arms and hugged her tight and Pheffe who loved hugs hugged him back with a huge smile on her face.


	13. Framed!

I do not own Pepe or Penelope

I do not own Pepe or Penelope

I do own the Pussycat family. A quick update because I'm tired and it's near midnight. Just for you guys to keep you satisfied till next time.

_**Chapter Thirteen **_

_**Framed! **_

Italy. A lovely place, but not lovely to Penelope. The train had stopped. The cop(s) never showed up again, but some suspicious thoughts roamed through her thoughts.

One quiet evening, when the train had been halted for more than a day Bryony had disappeared. The family was not in a hurry to have a search party. So they had a nice peaceful meal to themselves. That is until they heard sirens wailing in the distance.

"More cops?" Francine said afraid.

Sure enough, the cops cars stopped in front of the train and the cops armed and all barged into the coach they were in.

They grabbed Guiliane, Francine, Penelope and Leonardo at once and taken to town.

Well, riot turned out that they were accused of robbery; stealing the train, other goods back in Paris and kidnapping a rich heiress. Bryony had secretly had them framed!!

Punishment was to stay in a border house with no heat, electricity or good food.

Now, it was going too far. For Penelope, everything was falling in place; Bryony frames them, she stole the items, kidnapped, and murdered! She was now blaming them and getting on the run as the one that they kidnapped. She was going to leave them there on their own! Penelope would really never see Paris or anyone else again for sure!

_Author's Note: Cliffhanger! Keep reading! _


	14. Out of the Ordinary

I do not own Pepe or Penelope

I do own Stella Thunder, June Vineyard, Pauletta O'Doul (long oo, not like ow,) and Fillmore Howell.

_**Chapter Fourteen**_

_**Out of the Ordinary**_

The tune rang hard out of her small stereo. Pheffe playing an air guitar and lip synching was enjoying one her favorite things. Singing silent in her room was one thing, especially if you're only six years old. (Her birthday was today.) She still had no clue that would change.

It all started at the _Le Eiffel Tower Comics_. One particular day that Pheffe was with Pepe and Louis and some other famous people were around there.

The studios had a huge conference room for special holdings and it was in use right now. Three singers were offering talent searches and as of now were not enjoying it and leaving depressed. Until something caught there attention.

Horrible! Awful! Pathetic!" complained Fillmore Howell. "No talent here in this whole junkyard of France. I told you we should have stayed in England!"

"Quiet Fillmore," Pauletta said sharply. "We'll find some good contestants for _True Talent_."

"Yeah, more wanna-be bad girls who look like me," June said haughtily.

"June, not you either." Pauletta said. "Oh, great! I left my tape recorder on the whole time we were having a lunch break! I bet the battery is down."

"No its not," Fillmore said examining it. "Well, let's replay what we've heard."

Pauletta pressed play. Three hated being celebrity judges for _True Talent_, but what else could they do? Using a tape recorder made it easier to make decisions later on without the pressure of some eager eyes staring back at them.

Horrible singing was heard from the contestants and some who worked at the office.

"That's it!" Fillmore said. "Nothing works!"

An argument erupted from that! Pauletta was saying they should still be patient. June said heck with the whole thing (she actually used a more nasty term.) Fillmore was ready to throw in the towel and give up the search when something caught there attention.

A soft sound of the piano that had been in the conference room (which was only for decoration) played a sweet and steady tune. This was followed by singing.

The song ended.

Fillmore and Pauletta's jaws dropped.

It was amazing. An old Stella Thunder song nearly forgotten. June, however, did not look impressed. She had issues of arrogance.

One look at each other and Pauletta and Fillmore knew one thing; they had to find that voice! Somewhere in the ordinary was the voice that was real and unheard of.

And that voice belonged to Pheffe.

_Author's Note: Stella Thunder is based off of singer Liz Phair. Not her biggest fan, but I do like her Extraordinary song out of all her other work. Its on YouTube if you are interested. Hope you like this. So…start your engines and review! _


	15. Penny Kitty the Rock Princess

I do not own Pepe or Penelope

I do own the Humus Sisters, Pheffe and well you should know by now!

_**Chapter Fifteen **_

_**Penny Kitty the Rock Princess **_

"Pheffe if zhey heard you playing on zhere tape recorder, you should try out." Josephine said. "You'd ween!"

News was spreading around from reluctant June Vineyard on TV and radio. Pheffe knew it was her; the mystery voice.

"I should," she thought. The thought of being famous seemed beyond all she knew. It _was _beyond all she knew. Yet, the thought of leaving behind the life she had also known and loved and still, hurt her deeply.

"Eef you deed eet would be fun," Josephine continued. "I could endorse a clotheeng line for you."

Josephine had recently got a promotion at her job as one of the head designers at _La Belle Chanel Amor Toujours_; A highly well-known fashion industry in Paris that had been around for only three years.

"Non merci," Pheffe simply said.

Later, in that evening at home Pheffe was deep in thought. Scattered all over her room was paper and pencils. Pepe called it "Pheffe's Studio" because the floor was littered at times with loose sheets of paper with writing and musical notes. Pencils all over in random places. A keyboard in the corner and a guitar stand for her dream guitar. In the meantime is contained her air guitar.

She turned her little radio on to Humus Sisters. She pressed the keys randomly and entertained herself. A quick and sweet tune played in her heart and it became music.

"Yeah." She started singing. "Whoa oh, Whoa Whoa- No zhat does not sound right!" She quickly changed the note a bit. Being a singer was hard work on her own.

A singer. A real singer. A celebrity. A Hollywood diva. A rock star. A princess. A Rock Princess. Then, it hit her.

"Daddy!" she joyfully screamed and dodged out of her room with a brilliant idea.

_True Talent _had been auditioning many young girls for the past weeks and nothing was clicking with the strong, but endearing voice on the recorder.

One more audition night was in Paris and then it was time to forget it all if the voice was not found.

"Last one for tonight," Pauletta sighed with relief. "I don't care anymore about the voice now; I just want to go to my hotel and sleep."

Fillmore and June could definitely agree with that, June the most.

"Last performer," Fillmore said almost cheerfully. "Some one named… Penny Kitty?"

A hush fell over the audience (out of boredom.)

And stepping nervously on stage, was a small girl skunk, her palms already sweating from the microphone she was given. She stood there quiet for a moment and with one deep breath, began to sing as the sound she had recorded some time before started.

The girl looked out, breathing deep, her hair clinging to her sweaty neck and face.

The crowd could only stare at her; a tawny, light curly ends haired girl, with shimmer and body glitter on her white face. Her clothes as if a rich designer had done them; black, sparkle jeans, a jeweled white tee, a black denim jacket with rhinestones on the cuffs and black platform boots that were at her knees.

"Wh-What ahem what is your name again?' Fillmore spoke into his microphone with a dry throat.

"_Pheffe Rosalie Le Pew," she wanted to say so badly. _

"Penny Kitty sir," the girl who was Pheffe answered in an American accent.

_Author's Note: Another cliff-hanger! So what do you think? _


	16. Hidden Reality

If a loved one of yours had died on Sept. 11, my deepest sympathy goes out to you.

I do not own Pepe or Penelope

I do own Pheffe (of course and her alter ego) the whole Le Pew family and the celebrities.

_**Chapter Sixteen **_

_**Hidden Reality **_

Next morning, papers were everywhere! Huge bold prints read out loud "Success Overnight!" "Penny Kitty Rocks!" "Royalty of Rock and Roll!" "The Rock Princess is in the Building!"

Not all saw it. In other words, Pheffe didn't because she was deep in sleep from the night before.

"She is only eleven!" papers would read in the first line. (Pheffe had lied about her age.)

"Huge success!" more papers filled every newspaper stand in France.

When Pheffe awoke at mid-noon she knew she was changing into an alter ego. Everything was becoming different. Her converse high-tops that Pepe gave her were in the corner, forgotten. Now, she had black, platform boots at the foot of her bed. Her light brown wig was on a little stand near her keyboard. She was rearranging, perhaps for the rest of her life.

Josephine was ecstatic when Pepe brought Pheffe over for a celebration of just the family late the night.

"Deed you see?!" she kept on squealing with delight. "My design! My design on TV!! I should open my own company!!"

"Zhis eez not your success," Henry whispered to her. He and Nancy, being understandable with children could tell Pheffe was unconscious about the celebration and off into her own world; where she didn't have to lie about who she was for people to accept her.

"I don't understand why you let her lie." Nancy said to Pepe as he helped her scrub the dishes after cake.

"Zhis eez Pheffe's choice." Pepe said. "She can make most of her decisions right now. I trust her."

Nancy's firm look made him fess up.

"She eez scared zhat people won't accept her for who she eez." he said. "And I feel responsible for zhat."

"You deed notheeng!" Nancy said in shock, meaning Pepe had done nothing wrong with Pheffe ever.

"I-eh, I-I," he struggled to find the right words. "I helped conceive her!"

"Wha-oh." Nancy realized. "Marrying Penelope was not your fault. Besides, eets like I told Penelope when she was expecting; 'Skunk genes are dominant. Chances of the baby being like her are one in a million.' And she had no problem weeth zhat."

"She was deescrimnated on her first day of pre-school." Pepe continued. "She was sent home, crying her eyes and heart out so hard, she was near hyperventilating. Eet steell, hurts her every now and zhen."

"No." Nancy said shaking her head.

"Zhink about eet Nancy," Henry said, who had been stacking away plates quietly. "Pheffe never plays weeth ozher keeds. She always wants to be around any of us because she feels loved enough."

Pepe had been staring out of the kitchen window that stood over the sink. He remembered one thing that got him through his shadows of doubt and his old dream.

"I have my own ideas." Pepe concluded to Nancy. Then, he left the kitchen, wiping his sudsy hands on his jeans up the stairs.

Nancy went on cleaning the dishes.

Henry leaned behind her and kissed her cheek.

"We raised our own," he whispered to her. "Let Pepe raise hees own. She eez zhe only child he weell ever have. No way, weell he marry anyone else."

_Author's Note: So… tell me what you think. If your getting confused it okay! _:)_ I'll gladly explain it individually. Thanks again, Acosta, PokBlue and Bo's Rival! _


	17. Stratocaster

I do not own Pepe or Penelope

I do own the le Pew family and whatever of famous people.

_**Chapter Seventeen **_

_**Stratocaster **_

In that old, silent room hid a cherishing memory. Pepe gently pushed the door open and headed right for the closet and was relieved to find it still there.

The reliable Stratocaster from many years before stood gracefully on the guitar stand like the one Pheffe had in her room. Carefully, lifting it he found the black box that contained the pick. It was black with a silver fleur de lis. As girly as it would have seemed he always claimed it to be his way of proclaiming his race, no matter the stereotypes would say.

He lay across his old bed and found himself struggling with trying to remember old tunes he once wrote himself and small memories tiptoed past his mind.

"_Here you go Diet Pepsi," Nancy said putting a big box on the floor in front of a eleven year old skunk. "Eet's a late Christmas, and early birthday present." _

_Nancy and Henry watched their oldest son rip through the brown package paper. It was only five hours before he would officially be eleven, but his parents said he already was close enough to called so at his hour of night. _

_The lid flew open and the white tissue paper was pulled back like reeds on the Nile. _

"_YES!" yelled the delighted Pepe. _

_(His voice was one Penelope would have never recognized if she had known him before. It was still childish, not yet maturing into what she knew so well.) He lifted out the new Stratocaster; its black paint gleamed by the Christmas lights on the tree that was still up for another day or so. The small area of white was shiny like snow in the warm winter sun. _

"_Our rock star," Henry whispered to his wife. _

_Pepe sang out a few "whoas" and "yeahs" with joy. _

"_I love you Paris! Bonne nuit! Don't drink and drive!" he called out to his audience. _

_Josephine, who was only a year old, attempted to clap her little hands and smile her big smile which contained only two itty-bitty teeth on her lower gums. _

_Henry went over to lift her out of her playpen. Louis, not yet eight was sitting at the window seat watching his brother. _

"_Ma, can I have one too?" he asked. _

"_Maybe on your birthday, eet ees only 25 days away." Nancy smiled at her second son. _

That had been 21 years ago. Now, it was time to pass the blessed electric guitar on… to the next generation.

The soft steps of Pheffe could be heard at the stairs as she climbed up them. She stuck her head in the room and was in awe of that guitar at first sight. (She never saw it before.)

Pepe scooted himself to sit up and crossed his legs and with one last glace at the strings on the wooden neck, he prepared to do one of the most selfless things in his lifetime.

"Dad?" Pheffe asked with enthusiasm as she jumped on the bed and imitated him sitting. "Eez zhat zhe guitar you had?"

"Oui, eet was." He said solemnly.

Pheffe looked sad as if she had realized he was going to sell it to pay rent.

"You need eet more zhan I do," he said moving to her lap, but Pheffe pushed it back.

"No Daddy." She said gently. "I want to save up my own money to buy one of my own."

"Guitars are getting more expenseeve." Pepe said. "The prices are rising up every other year. Eet weell take you four years to save up for one."

"Eet's yours." Pheffe answered. "You keep eet." She walked to the window to end the conversation.

Pepe would not have it. He got up himself and lifted her up with what strength he had left to hold her. She turned her head away from his eyes.

"Pheffe some don't get to do what zhey want, but you do right now." he said truthfully.

"I want you to take my guitar and you use eet as Penny Keetty. You've been waiting to have one seence you were four."

"I can't." Pheffe answered after a pause of silence. "Zhat was your dream. I can't take zhat away from you." She knew what she was now doing as a singer was what he wanted when he was a bit older than her.

"Dreams change as you grow." Pepe answered. "Eef I hadn't changed mine, you would not be in my arms. You wouldn't exist."

Pheffe caught attention of that! Her eyes went wide at the thought.

"My dreams changed not because zhey had too exactly." Pepe went on. "Zhey changed because I wanted them too."

He put Pheffe down and sat back on his bed, holding onto that instrument until she took it as her own.

Pheffe was deep in though for a moment and after what seemed like hours she took hold of the neck and slid it down to the floor. A thud was heard as it hit the floor. Pheffe eyes went wide in shock.

"Man zhis eez heavy!" she panted from the weight of the guitar. Pepe stifled laughter as Pheffe laid it carefully on the floor.

Then, like lightening she hugged Pepe tightly.

"Merci beaucoup Daddy, du fond de mon coeur.'' Pheffe said and she meant it with all her heart.

_Author's Note: GRR! I HATE writer's block!! I do love writing these entirely sweet father to daughter moments, it reminds me of times with my dad when I was little. Next, chapter I plan to show Pheffe at her big concert in Paris and some other faces from the mind of Chuck Jones_. ;)**Translation: "Thank you very much daddy, from the bottom of my heart."**


	18. Sparkles

I do not own Pepe or Penelope (she will be back very soon

I do not own Pepe or Penelope (she will be back very soon. Next chapter for sure!)

I do own, well, you should know by now! (Pheffe, the Le Pew family, Humus Sisters, Stella Thunder and Hallie Fluff.)

_**Chapter Eighteen **_

_**Sparkles **_

Now each radio in was ringing out the song _Rock Princess_. It started in Paris, then Chaumont, then Berlioz, Toulouse, Giverney, Lyon, Orleans, Bordeaux, until all of France was hearing it. Charts were burning up with the song. Little girls started ditching their old piano books and try to play the song on the piano. No shadow of a doubt, Penny Kitty was hitting it big!

Merchandise, (which Josephine snuck into her jobsite) grew increasingly popular; glittery shirts, sparkly barrettes, sweet smelling perfume that had the scent of blueberries and cream, shoelaces with tiaras and sequined aglets and little silver tiaras that looked like diamond roses and hearts spread like the flu in a preschool class. Daughters pleaded for their mothers to buy them by the pound.

It wasn't long when concert tickets went on sale; First Concert tickets mind you. Parents were willing to eat ketchup with brussel sprouts or chug down a nasty protein shake to get a ticket for their daughter(s.)

Yet, through all this commotion no one ever thought that the girl behind the spoiled, rich clothes, fake eyelashes, and soft light brown curls… was a common little girl, who would never be normal now.

It was just the night before the concert; Pheffe was looking forward to it. It was the same stage the Humus Sisters; Kelsey, Joanne, and Nichole had performed on their European tour only a year ago. (Pheffe did not go since it was Joan's birthday that day.) Stella Thunder and Hallie Fluff had too.

Something else had Pheffe excited; she did not feel on bit nervous. That made her proud. She couldn't wait to be on that stage, catwalk, huge screen behind her and singing her heart out. No one was going to scribble crayon on her walls to ruin the big night for her.

Then, it happened. After the whole Le Pew family had piled into Henry and Nancy's big navy van that contained enough seats for eight kids they were at the stage set two hours early. (Shamus was coming on the metro after a long experiment at the lab.) No one knew they were there to keep Pheffe's identity secret.

Diego went up high to the sound area to adjust everything and prepare the lights. Special effects were to be by Shamus.

Josephine went nuts at of the whole family. She scattered this way and that way like a nervous housekeeper, rounding up all the make-up she had. Every shimmer powder, gloss and mascara she could find in her huge clutch bag and tote.

"Prepared to be icky-fied." Pheffe said in her American accent.

Josephine was too much in a good mood. "Shut up you leetle dumpleeing."

"Waaaaaay to cheery." Pheffe thought.

While Josephine was in her good mood, Marie and Ann, the sweet little baby girls of Nancy and Henry, were laying out Pheffe's attire.

Pheffe's had at least eight four changes of clothes and the same boots for each outfit. They were sparkly, girly, elegantly designed, and cutesy.

(A bit too cutesy to Joan, who was quite the tomboy.)

The first hour was filled with chaos; Shamus and Diego got into argument about which colored lights to use; hot pink or baby pink. Josephine argued over nothing with Joan like usual. Marie threw up from eating too much cheese from early that day. Ann was disgusted by it which prompted her to throw up. Pepe and Louis were arguing over whether they should out a parody of Penny Kitty into _Pepin and Trenton_.

Out of all of it, Nancy and Henry were the most calm.

Well, that's the family for anyone. Something is always going on.

Nancy was content on an old couch in the back reading a book and Henry fetched Pheffe a bottle of water to keep her hydrated under the lights.

And Pheffe?

She was just excited about everything.

Soon, she was in her wig, dressed in a sparkly black skirt, a silver blouse and her boots. Josephine, still arguing with Joan, was applying make-up to her face. Very soft gray-silver for her eyelids, vanilla gloss on her lips, and shimmer powder on her face. With the make-up she looked like she was older than six. She looked eleven and that is what she planned to say was her age.

Pheffe did not regret keeping her identity and knew her family would never rat her out. (Even, Josephine who loved to gossip was keeping her mouth sealed.)

Pheffe sat in the black, spinning make-up chair and watched in awe at her transformation. What a behind the scenes show this would be!

Ticket takers arrived once Pheffe was concealed in her little web of fibs. Girls poured in the doors and charged like a herd into the huge auditorium. Many patient ones stopped to get some merchandise and the programs. The impatient bounced in their seats and squealed with glee. Some were actually screaming with delight. It was just the beginning.

Pheffe was ready. She ran through her lists of songs that she had whipped up just a week before. It had been almost a month since her discovery. She thanked Josephine and gave her a hug. She hugged everyone in her family and waited for the countdown.

The rest, except Diego and Shamus, were in the back room with a TV to watch Pheffe on. Diego and Shamus made up their minds to use both light color and sat above prepared for their favorite niece.

Pheffe waited at the corner of the stage, amped with energy, until she saw the crowd. Stage fright hit her hard. Those eyes looking at her made her feel cornered and small. Smaller than usual actually.

Despite that, her family was excited and happy. Well, mostly.

Pepe had seemed and had been collected and calm after the brief argument between his brother. Now, it hit _him_. A bittersweet feeling. A feeling fathers feel when they give their daughter away on to the man she will marry. It was too early to feel that and Pheffe was too young in his eyes at that moment. As proud as he was he felt crushed to see her grow up so quickly with this sudden fame. It was so sad that Penelope was not here for it too. Despite the sad emotion, Pepe was proud of Pheffe. If someone was bragging that his son got into Paris University Pepe would not care. His child was famous.

As he sat there sitting backwards on the chair, his arms casually crossed together over the back he watched Pheffe peek around the corner to catch another glimpse of the crowd. She jumped back as if she was caught stealing. She had always been a princess in his eyes. Whether she was a deep in sleep one, a rocking one, or a naturally fair one, she always would be.

Pheffe took one last quick dodge before her cue was on to sing. Rock Princess began with its cool pop sound before plunging into the electric guitar pop. She could no longer bear it! She turned around like lighting and ran as if her legs were electrified and threw her arms around Pepe's neck for one last hug as a comfort to ease her fears. She nearly knocked him over, but he immediately locked her into his arms as if to shelter her from the fears. No words were said, not a voice came from their throats, just that one hug said it; "I love you."

With that both sharply, but reluctantly let go and Pheffe no longer afraid went on the stage and instantly sang.

The girly crowd screamed and some fainted at her sight. With the note "rock princess" that flooded from her lips sparks flew from the screen causing more screams of delight.

It went on. Penny was no longer scared and sang her heart out. It couldn't get any better than this.

When it was all over, followed by practically nine encores, Penny yelled out with joy her thanks and a good night. The girls sadly left wishing it could go on and on and on.

The best of it all for Penny, who soon was Pheffe once back stage, was when she was lifted happily into Pepe's arms and smiled huge. Now, it really couldn't get better than this.

_Author's Note: I AM SOOO SORRY I AM LATE ON UPDATING! IT'S GETTING STRENUOUS! Remember that poll you guys did awhile back? It was what parody did you want to see in this story and Hilary Duff got the most votes. So… Hallie Fluff it is. (She is a bubbly dog. Hmm… maybe Pomeranian.) _


	19. From Tears to BrokenHearted

I do not own Pepe or Penelope

I do own Pheffe and the Pussycats and the rest of the people in Italy.

_**Chapter Nineteen **_

_**From Tears to Broken-Hearted **_

Meanwhile in Ancona, Italy, Penelope, Leonardo, Guiliane and Francine were locked away. It has been weeks since the break-up between Pepe and Penelope. Still, Penelope was sure they were not divorced; if they had there would have been papers. (Even Pepe considered the same.)

For a whole week the four felines were shut up from the outside world in that dank, cold, boarding room. Only scraps of bread were brought for them and a tin cup of water. Francine sat off in a corner crying half of the time, Guiliane for the first five days screamed and yelled out at the cops until her voice was hoarse. Leonardo paced back and forth. Penelope sat by herself near the door, staring out.

"Papa?" she finally asked. "Are we ever going to get out of here?"

Leonardo went quiet. If Penelope had been a child he would have had a good excuse to say, but he could see that Penelope was grown-up enough. (So much more than her sisters.)

"Penelope," he said. "I am afraid we will not get out for a long, long time."

"Some comfort Pops!!" Guiliane managed to shout.

"Quiet yelling." Leonardo said firmly.

"But Fa-"Guiliane began.

"No!" Leonardo yelled out coldly. "Not one more word from any of you!!"

No one spoke after that.

When all was silent at night, Penelope would scoot over towards her family, who huddled together for warmth, and pictured Paris. The warm, radiant glow of the town in her imagination was some peace at heart.

Then she would awake and remember she was in that room; creaky floors, no beds, only two small windows and one rickety shelf.

Penelope was more disgusted that she was still wearing the same clothes since her abduction. She felt gross and longed for a long, hot, shower and fresh clothes.

Guiliane was no help. She grumbled under her breath about how one of her high heels (red stilettos) has a broken heel. She then whimpered about having no blankets. Leonardo would then snap at her. Never had Penelope seen her father so angry.

Who could blame him?

Several more weeks passed sleepily by. Penelope recorded that it must be at least the last week of June. She had missed Pheffe's fourth birthday.

"If I could have been there I would have been there with Pepe to give her her first pair of high-tops, just like we both planned." She thought sadly.

First week a July came soon after and then something happened.

One of the cops took them out. Shouting in Italian he ordered them to a police car. Once shoved in, the four cats were driven away a few miles to a court house it seemed. Penelope watched as the deep, blue sky passed the window and faded quickly. She wondered what was going to happen. If this was the beginning of a new life… then so be it.

The car stopped in front of a huge, old building. Another black car pulled up from the other side of the building, but the rider was not seen.

Penelope was forcefully shoved out by the cops and with her hands behind her back practically pushed into another small room with her family. Annoyed, the four sat there for a few minutes until brought back out into a court room.

They were shoved down into four, hard chairs. Then everything for Penelope went blurry. Her eyes went watery in fear and in guilt. It had all come down to this.

She didn't even notice Bryony come in and sit looking scared. Bryony was shortly on the stand.

"I'll try," she seemed to sob. _That_ caught Penelope's attention! "You see I was forced into marrying that brute-"she pointed to Leonardo. "He never treated me well. He forced me to have those horrible twins and that girl. Then when I was running away from their cruelty, they caught me and put me up on a train. I was kidnapped! I was so afraid! That tall girl-"Here she pointed to Guiliane. "Made the train go so fast I bashed my head. But the other two put a gag on me and threw me in a leaky boxcar. I managed to escape and come to the police just in time." She sobbed some more.

"LIAR!!!!!" came Guiliane's voice ringing so loud it echoed the whole room!

"Shut up!" said the Italian judge. Guiliane went silent on her own intentions, but anyone could tell she was seething furiously!

"Would that be all-a-miss?" the judge asked. Bryony nodded. She stepped down from the witness stand.

Penelope went out of mind again and now she understood what was happening right here. Bryony was once again framing them! This time she was being the damsel-in-distress. Disgusting!

Then Leonardo was called up to the stand, but did he say anything? No. He was too depressed of what his wife had said in done. As much as Penelope loved him, he was too moody and sensitive right now when courage and strength with a hint of determination had to be shown.

Francine only cried when questioned!

"Oh, we are in deep water." Penelope hung her head in despair at her mumble.

Guiliane was no help either.

"I am telling you she is lying! A big fat liar! You hear me?!" was all she screamed.

Then she went quiet for a moment until she perked up a thought it seemed.

"Might I interest you in something interesting?" she cleverly questioned. The court went silent as she pulled a tape out of her back jeans pocket. "Intriguing yes? It is! The true witness is a simpleton, youth, a child. Who just happens to be a member of our family. Care to listen?"

The court looked beyond interested as if they had just solved what was the key to happiness.

"If you will care to listen may we have a recess?" Guiliane inquired questionably.

Guiliane's mysterious charm and wit had worked easily, even in the court.

The recess went on for at least thirty minutes. It went on longer it seemed to Penelope.

She sat outside of the room where the tape was being played. She felt sick. Whatever was on that tape scared her deeply. It had to be about Pheffe for sure!

Finally court was back in session. The judge and members looked shocked.

"You, bella." The judge said. "Come up-a here."

Penelope shuffled her way up to the seat. Part of her wanted to run back to the table she was already at, but running away had been half of her life.

"Speak." The judge gently ordered.

"She kidnapped me and my daughter and my husband." Penelope began. "Even earlier on she kicked me hard one time when I was pregnant-"

"You bratty liar!!" Bryony suddenly screamed in rage.

"No!" Penelope suddenly stood up. "YOU are the liar!! Now, you listen to me!!"

Penelope jumped out of the witness stand and circled the floor.

"Just because you don't love me does not give you the right to treat me like garbage!" Penelope continued. "I am a person just as much as you are and everyone in this court! I deserve to be treated with respect like you! You have no rights once or ever to abuse me emotionally, hurt my new family or even hurt my child. I could've been a mother of two right now if it weren't for you!! What you did to Pheffe or Pepe I don't want to really know, but I will go home on my own will and when I get back to Paris, after I have hugged my daughter, kissed my husband, and know that I am at peace I will never come back to this cruel, useless family ever again!!"

Penelope stood tall, her black eyes flickering fiercely, and not timid. She had said what she had wanted to say for a long, long time and she had done it at last!

Bryony, for the first time was taken aback and cowered down behind the table in fear.

"I think-a this has been a settled for now." The judge said and everyone else agreed.

Penelope felt strong now, a warrior, a heroine for her family and at last in her whole life; no longer afraid.

_Author's Note: I plan to do a prequel for Le Pew Tails once this is done and I will hopefully have this story wrapped up by Christmas. (No pun intended.) :)_


	20. Notes from Pheffe

I do not own Pepe, Penelope, Bugs Bunny, Lola Bunny, Daffy Duck, Melissa. (Whew!)

I do own Pheffe, the Le Pew family, Chuck, Lauren, Daphne, Darren, and Tanner.

I watched _You're a Good Man Charlie Brown_ a few hours ago and revised my original draft for this chapter with the letter writing.

_**Chapter Twenty**_

_**Notes from Pheffe **_

Pheffe was sitting in the back of a filthy bus by herself. Isolated from the rest of the children who were throwing airplanes, screaming and just being rambunctious! Pheffe felt betrayed, but she knew that was not true. For two weeks she was going to Camp Whatupdoc. The fun children's camp founded by The Big Rabbit: Bugs Bunny and his wife Lola, (second wife actually, his first wife divorced him.)

Bugs Bunny had sent out offers to many child celebrities to come to the camp to take a break from the pressures of fame. _Penny _was emailed an invite, but _Penny_ turned it down. So Bugs contacted _Le Eiffel Tower Comics _and only Pheffe received the invite. As much as Pheffe had pleaded with Pepe she went anyway.

"'Don't worry Pheffe,'" Pheffe mimicked nasally to herself. "'You weell make new friends, zhis eez for your own good.'"

Still, Pheffe trusted Pepe and because she was obedient and loved him with respect as a adult she went.

The long, long, drive from Paris to Giverny seemed to take forever! While the kids slept, talked or still behaved rambunctious, Pheffe gazed out the back window. With the vibrations of the road thrumming through the bus Pheffe put her head in one hand while her elbow was propped on one knee and smiled. As long as she was in France she would be fine.

"Besides," she thought. "Dad would not send me hear eef he zhougt zhis was dangerous."

When the drive ended Pheffe's heart sunk heavily to her feet. Camp Whatupdoc was not so cheery like she depicted it would be. The wooden sign that was above the entrance was chipped of pink paint and the hinges on the gates were rusty. There were weeds around the cabins and bare patches of dirt. The grass was set in clumps and tufts here and there. An old basketball court had chain hoops and the swings creaked in the gentle wind. The cafeteria was more like a mobile home with a tin, tinted roof. The cabins were brown with pale green doors and dingy, dusty curtains could be seen in the windows.

After being forced to stay with the ever famous Daffy Duck's spoiled daughter Daphne and her best friend Lauren Bunny, Pheffe decided she was not going to be part of the stupid, female makeovers; nail polish, chattering and such.

The lunch of spaghetti ended fast, leaving everyone outside, except Pheffe. She felt pity for Lola who had to clean the dishes that seemed to be as high as the Empire State Building!

Lola was putting on rubber gloves and grumbling as she started fetching more plates when she was astonished to see Pheffe standing in the doorway looking around.

"The food service is closed." Lola said plainly.

Pheffe pretended not to hear her. She kicked a stool over to the sink, rolled her sleeves to her elbows and scrubbed one plate hard with a scrub brush.

Lola, amazed, sat in a rickety chair and took a load off her tired feet.

After fifteen minutes cleaning and drying the plates, silverware and cups Pheffe snuck outside (Lola had fallen into sleep.)

Once outside, Pheffe sat outside that cabin. She picked the tufts of grass out of the ground and soon found herself pulling weeds around the cafeteria and the every cabin.

"Well, I can't do zhis everyday," she said to herself. That was true; why go to camp to pick weeds? Besides, she was interested in if there was a billiard room and maybe play some pool.

There was no billiard room, just a noisy arcade which Pheffe felt tedious of.

Night came quickly. Daphne and Lauren were sitting on Lauren's bunk putting on hot pink nail polish. Pheffe was pretending to sleep so she could hear on their conversation.

"Can you believe what a dump this is?" Daphne said.

"I know, but Daddio said it will be fixed one day." Lauren said. She lowered her voice more.

"Can you believe that we have to share this cabin with that F-R-E-E-K." she whispered.

"Like, I know!" Daphne said. "Like, a comic artists for an uncle? Puh-lease."

"Learn to spell," Pheffe thought angrily. "You S-P-O-I-L-E-D, **F-R-E-A-K-S**."

By the same time the next day, Pheffe was longing to go home. The only thing that was interesting by now was the thought of getting a Bachelor's Degree one day. (She needed some back up plan in case Penny Kitty failed.) She wanted one because _bachelor_ meant unmarried man because Pepe was one once and she liked the word.

By this time her interest was piqued by the forest on one side of the camp. She wandered to it and walked through.

The place was quiet and serene. The trees branches stretched and curved like a canopy, shading the soft woodchip path from the sun. The scent of fresh air was breathed into her lungs. The loudness of the other kids was drowned out. Pheffe ventured further.

"I love zhis," she said to herself. Her voice seemed to echo in that silence. She kept on strolling with anticipation of what was on the other side of the forest.

Finally, she reached the edge of what was a little creek sparkling blue, and running over the stones of brown and white. Some huge rocks were set just inside of the forest that were smooth and had moss growing on the sides. The whole place was beautiful, peaceful, gentle and close to perfection. A place no man had touched. The beauty of nature had a touch on this secret place. Pheffe had found her own place. With a smile she knew what she was going to do for the next weeks.

For the next days, Pheffe wrote down in eight notebooks while sitting contently on a huge flat rock. When her right hand cramped did that stop her? No! She would just write with her left hand. If she was too excited she would write with both hands. She spent her time ignoring Daphne, Lauren, and some boys named Chuck (who was Lauren's twin brother,) Darren (Daphne's cousin,) and Tanner Tasmanian.

She would write random letters to Pepe to soothe her loneliness at times and they would often mention Penelope. Oh how, she wished she could send them.

_Dad, can I be brutally honest with you? Sure I can! I'm not making friends. No one here seems to have room for me. Yet, I like being a lone wolf. I feel so at peace in this one hideout I have found and I'm the only one who knows it! I pretend that Pepin leaps from the comic strip panels and can stand on the paper and is only as tall as my pointer finger. He is awfully nice and sweet like you. How's is the Penny Kitty merchandise going? Are you lonely without me? I miss you. _(At this point Pheffe drew a broken heart.)_ I still miss Mom every now and then. I see her a lot in my dreams and they are always good. I see you kissing her under the stars by a brook in a park. Maybe she will come home one day. _

_Lamoure, Pheffe. _

At the end of every _Lamoure, Pheffe,_ a teardrop could be seen on the period.

_Author's Note: THANKS ALL OF YOU FOR REVIEWING SINCE THE START! _

_Next chapter will be similar in what Pepe does with Pheffe being away. _

_I hope you all had a Merry Christmas and have a Happy New Year! _


	21. Out of the Notebook

I do not own Pepe or Penelope (if you don't know that by now where have you been?!!) Also, all the other Looney Tunes. :)

I own Pheffe, the Le Pew family, Lauren Bunny, the newspaper and the _Pepin and Trenton_ characters.

We will begin with a flashback.

_**Chapter Twenty-One **_

_**Out of the Notebook **_

_The small light from the pale flashlight did not help much. It dimly showed the messily written handwriting. A life that had lived long, yet not so, so long was reflecting. _

_Outside, thunder crashed loudly ever few minutes causing his four little sisters to cry for their parents. Part of him wished he was home with them, but he couldn't. This small house was now his home. Sadly, though, it didn't feel like a home yet. _

_Four boxes, one guitar case, and two old black, leather bags, laid in the cobwebbed living room. (If it could that!) The boxes had contained kitchen supplies, hygiene supplies and whatever else a twenty-year old bachelor needed to survive the lone wolf life. _

_Sitting on a mattress in the middle of the main bedroom floor was an unkempt skunk who had been twenty for just a month to that day. It was half past ten at night, but not an eye was sleepy. _

_The flashlight was between his perfectly straight teeth, as his left hand struggled to keep the notebook pages down and his right hand to not stop writing. Something was driving him to write. _

_Frustrated, Pepe allowed the notebook close itself and he let the flashlight drop. He sighed disappointedly and swallowed a huge gulp of wine from the wine bottle that was next to the mattress. He rubbed the little bit of dirt of the white soles of the same high-tops which had collected some filth from cleaning the house early that day. _

_Bored, he laid back and reached off the mattress where his purity ring lay. He took it with interest and flicked it up in the air and then it fell by his neck. Tired from writing sentences about the day's events, he slipped the ring on his left thumb and rolled to one side. He just couldn't be a writer, it was not in him. _

**PARISIAN TIMES **

**Comics: **_**Pepin and Trenton**__**Summery**_

_**The delightful, light-hearted comic strip follows the early tween years of brothers Pepin (13) and Trenton (12) along with their younger brothers, Garrett (9) and Gary(8) and the ever-adorable sisters, Josie (3) and Jodie (1). The sweet, creative bunch of skunks were orphaned from the fatal car crash by a drunk driver that killed their parents Lorraine and Henri Fume caught much attention as readers feared of what would happen to the six adolescents. Filled with honesty about daily issues kids face (peer pressure, mean kids, broken families and crushes) shows that doing the right thing is better than being famous. A lesson our generation had a complicated time understanding with all the bad messages in this world about fakeness, money, fame and being the top-dog and all the little things in a family that matters the most. **_

_**The charming family members of the comic strip: Pepin**_

_**Pepin Jermaine Fume: Rebel, bad boy, and wild child are enough to define his exterior. The tin grin tween captivates the craziness that males go through whether it girls, who's the fastest in P.E. or who is the most good-looking of the brotherly clan. Following his mother's bad girl footsteps, Pepin plays electric guitar at midnight to annoy Trenton and plans to ride a motorcycle when he is old enough. Pepin adds a witty humor with his quick comebacks to his rivals. He does show a very protective side when it comes to his baby sisters whom he adores. Jodie, the youngest, though a baby, definitely looks up to him the most. Pepin is a attractive boy, but beauty comes with a price for him, Faith Hollywood pursues him without mercy and determined to make him her husband. By far, Pepin has not had a little crush or love interest yet. **_

That was the newspaper in Paris, circulating its daily route with an introducement of each character. Pepe and Louis knew Pepin would need to have some girl that he would likelike. The problem was how to make a girl so fair and normal that she could make any boy's heart beat fast.

Only one thing stuck in Pepe's head as he sat on the bench waiting for the bus to come with his extra precious cargo from the campsite. That thing was the name and it got stuck from a recollection of Penelope saying one time that she wished she had been named something else and that name was Charlotte.

The mindless screams of happy kids broke his thoughts and he scanned excitedly for Pheffe. She was nowhere to be seen.

"Daddy, I need twenty bucks to go shopping," said Lauren sharply to Bugs. Bugs seemed disappointed to see Lola hand the money to their daughter as she skipped away with her friends. Only one word lingered in his mind and Pepe's "Spoiled."

Pheffe had snuck out last and slinked behind the bus to avoid the Bunny's spoiled child. She looked like a spy as she tip-toed around the back of the bus to not get caught. She planned to hide in shrubbery until she saw Pepe.

Pepe sighed shaking his head.

"Pheffe," he said loudly so she could hear him. Pheffe's ears perked up at the voice she knew and loved best. How she had missed it!

Pheffe turned sharply and like a speeding bullet was in his arms. Pepe didn't even have to run far until she got to him. He lifted her in one arm and kissed the side of her head, near her right eye which was closed. Her left eye open with happiness. Her face was saying the typical "Aw dad in front of people" and "I love my dad." Her arms tight around his neck and her only luggage on the pavement was such a picture perfect moment.

Bugs had noticed the tender moment and felt sad. He wished his daughter would hug him like that and that they had matching shoes.

_Author's Note: I kept on changing the chapter so don't get upset about how long it took to upload! So, Charlotte? Any ideas about her? _


	22. Danse pour la Nuit

I do not own Pepe or Penelope, or Dancing Queen which is by ABBA which helped me be inspired for this chapter.

I do own Penelope's family and the people in Italy.

(Translation: dance for the night.)

_**Chapter Twenty- Two **_

_**Danse pour la Nuit **_

Bryony was locked away in jail for kidnapping, stealing, and child abuse. The Pussycats and the Le Pew heaved a sigh of peace. Penelope knew she would never have to worry about her again. Bryony was not going to leave the jail or Italy. After her time was up, she would stay in a boarding house which was years away.

A day after the trial was over the small family was offered by the police a place to stay. It was a nice, complex that was an apartment and a hotel for people who were passing by. The room was fairly well sized with a small bathroom, but it was much better than before. After all, it had been a couple of months since they left Orleans.

There were three beds and Francine and Guiliane offered to share a bed by the window. Leonardo took a bed in the middle and Penelope took the bed by the bathroom. The old floral wallpaper was interesting and the dressers were back from the 1800s as the manager told them upon their arrival.

Once settled, with many trunks of new clothes (mostly sundresses for the ladies,) the family refreshed from their very filthy journey since the train stopped months weeks ago. Guiliane showered first and practically did ten facial masks. Francine was next and went down to the parlor to get a massage. Leonardo went second to last and was soon at the buffet collecting trays and more trays of food. (All of four of them were hungry.) Penelope, being the youngest, was last. She was in the longest for sure. She just sat under the hot, steaming water as it washed away the grime.

It was nine at night when the father and his trio of daughters sat down on his bed to eat dinner. It was there Francine started the big conversation.

"What do we do?" she asked.

"Do?!" cried Guiliane. "CELEBRATE!!"

"Other than that," Francine stated. "Are we staying here from now on or until we are back on our feet?"

"I'm staying," Leonardo said. "Your mother sold the house. I like this place very much. You three should go your own way."

Penelope did not say anything, but knew he must have indicated her.

"Also," Leonardo continued. "We have serious issues; your mother wasted the money, so now we are broke. You three must help me and yourselves earn money. Now, I'm going to become a part-time cook in the kitchens. I was offered while I was getting the food. Francine, one of the cook's wives met with me and said that the store, _Pasta and Things_ with stocking-"

"I'll do it!" Francine said with happiness.

"I can ask the parlor if they need help with the massages and facials," Guiliane offered. She looked kindly at her father, who smiled and squeezed her shoulder with gratefulness. She was no longer spoiled.

Penelope looked down at her plate. If she was to go home, she would need money too and traveling was very, very expensive. She also had a feeling that once she left she would never see her family again. She didn't want to leave now that she was so much closer with them.

"I'll get a job too," she said.

"Where?" asked Guiliane with her mouth full of food.

"I don't know," Penelope said, tapping the plate thoughtfully with her fork. "Somewhere that will accept me."

The next morning, Penelope got up around ten-thirty and went outside to get some air. She felt very light in one of her new dresses; it was a white with a peach colored floral design. Penelope had no shoes to go with it so she wore the same black Keds she had for a long time.

As she sat on the patio on a chair staring out at the gardens, she wondered about Pepe and Pheffe.

A little bit later, she strolled through the small village area. The streets smelled of fresh-cut flowers and warm bread. Children passed her grinning with their gelato in little cups.

Penelope stopped for a moment to sniff some flowers when a little paper for hiring was on the flower cart. Here's what it said:

**Wanted**

**Talented, flexible young women **

**Who can dance up a storm and will take **

**A year of training for a huge dance-off competition**

**Ancona vs. Rome **

**Volare` Studio vs. Bellisimo Dance Academy **

**Payment at competition**

**$500 **

"500?!" Penelope thought wildly. "I could be home in a year! I'll do it!"

Penelope returned that night happy with her small interview. She was excited!

Leonardo look worried about her decision when she told him.

"What if it's a stripper place or something?" he asked.

Penelope knew he was just concerned for her, so she responded gently.

"Father, please," she said. "I'm an adult, I can take care of myself."

Leonardo still looked serious.

"I promise," she said firmly. "If it is (but I know it isn't) then I won't be part of it."

"Alright," Leonardo said. "Just keep your promise if so."

"I will," Penelope said. "What's the worst I can do?"

Penelope started the next week. The training was endless. Ten hours started at 10:00 to 7:00 at night. Penelope was in pain for the first week. Five days of training was exhausting. Two days of rest was not enough. An aching back, cramped legs, and stiff arms were getting to Penelope.

"I don't know if this is worth it," she thought.

Still, the studio was not bad and Penelope stayed.

Her free days were with her family; walking on the streets, eating gelato, buying pretty floral pieces for their complex. Occasional days were planned for sight seeing. Ancona was very charming, but it wasn't Paris for Penelope. She looked forward to going home.

"I have plans as soon as I get home," she said one day.

"What is that?" Leonardo asked. He already knew the answer though.

"I'm going to never leave my family again," Penelope said with a laugh. "I'm going to make amends with Pepe and hold onto him and Pheffe until my arms fall off. Then eat some Parisian food that I miss and kiss Pepe so hard that he and I won't be able to breathe."

"That's a good plan," Leonardo said. "Just remember that I will always be your father, no matter where you are or what you do."

Penelope smiled as she hugged her father.

The tender father and daughter moment was not only happening in Italy, but also in Paris, where two skunks were dancing and skipping around the house singing "Dancing Queen."

_Author's Note: So I saw Mamma Mia! and now I'm hooked! I love the song Dancing Queen, Honey Honey, Mamma Mia and Our Last Summer the most! I knew I had to write about what Penelope was doing and getting her to do dancing for a brief career seemed perfect after I saw the movie. It will hopefully cause a hint of intimacy between her and Pepe. Like she is dancing and thinking about dancing a romantic waltz with him or something. You'll see. _


	23. Fantaisie Fille or Ordinaire Fille

I do not own Pepe or Penelope or the books mentioned in this chapter

I do own Pheffe, Louis, Eiffel Tower Comics, the employers there and the employers of Femme Modern (Modern Wife) and Beau Celibataire (Handsome Bachelor) magazines and Joan, Pepe's little sister.

_**Chapter Twenty-Three**_

_**Fantaisie Fille or Fille Ordinaire **_

_**(Fancy Girl or Ordinary Girl) **_

For the next year Penelope's training went well. She had been in two serious competitions for two years and was earning more than enough. However, something financial troubling would always come around with her family and she would use the money she earned so she would start all over again. Yet, she strangely did not mind that much. It was actually fun earning money, which she never did before.

Every special day about her skunk family never left her mind. Her anniversary, Pepe's birthday and Pheffe's birthday and many other important days stayed glued to her heart.

Shortly, after in France that Pheffe had returned from camp, there was a huge selling of magazines. Penelope did not know it until she picked up an Italian version of a French magazine called _Femme Modern_. Right on the front page and for four more pages was a great article about Pepe and Louis. Penelope felt too many tears shake her. She had not seen Pepe in anything, but her mind for two years. Leonardo was equally touched.

"I would not worry," he said comfortingly to Penelope. "Pepe is still faithful for sure. I could tell he was an honest man when I first saw him."

"Thank you Father," Penelope said sadly. "I just want to know about Pheffe now."

And she did… just a week later.

_**FRANCE **_

"Zhat photo shoot went well!" said Margot Vaschel, editor of _Femme Modern_.

"Oui," agreed her nervous assistant Simone. She watched the over-dramatic human spin her chair around with happiness. "Zhe selleeng eez doing well."

"Simone," Margot continued. "Call up my friend Romaine, her husband must have Pepe on zhe front page of _Beau Celibataire_!"

"_Beau Celibataire_?" said Simone. "Zhat eez a seengle man issue! Zhat eez why eet eez called Handsome Bachelor."

"Eet's not just for seengle men looking for zheir woman," Margot said. "Eet's for seengle women too! Zhey get zhey sneak peek at a bachelor's fantasies!"

"Now, don't be nervous you mutt, call Romaine!" she ordered sharply after a pause.

Simone, who was a mutt (or in a kinder way a dog,) obeyed her boss's orders.

It was in fifteen minutes that Romaine had her husband Reynard on the phone with Margot as they discussed the idea. He liked the idea, she liked the idea and the whole plan took shape. They met a day later, to discuss the shoot, (they chose the beach area in Le Havre.) However, neither had asked Pepe if he was up for it.

He found out about it just a few hours later, when one of the many phones rang at the front desk. Brielle, the young secretary answered it. Brielle was a big-glasses, gum-chewing human, but very sensible and honest in living. She called for Pepe who's small workroom was just across from the front desk, and he took up the call and nearly hung up rudely. If only Mariette owner of the company's wife had not talked him into it.

"Zhink about eet," she said quietly. "You have a week off coming up soon, so do eet now. Take Pheffe with you, she's never been to Le Havre oui?"

That settled it. You could not say no to the boss or his wife when it meant good for the company.

It was only a day later that Pepe found himself taking his parents van for ten only with Pheffe to Le Havre. Pheffe seemed excited about her dad being on a common magazine. That would show the other kids. (Although, what other kids?)

Pheffe sat in one of the three back seats of the van and had a big pile of books at her feet. She was reading the unabridged version of _A Little Princess_. Whenever she finished a chapter she wrote down her own review of it. It was like her own articles of book reviews. She even had some for music and movies.

With her doing that it was entertaining for Pepe to hear her reviews which she wrote out loud.

"In this chapter we find our heroine Sara Crewe now a pauper in the cold streets of London finding a sixpence in the gutter." Pheffe would talk like she was an elegant radio announcer.

Pepe only wished that he could explain to Pheffe that she was not fancy or ordinary; she was extraordinary. What other child would be so deep into reading books that six years olds would not usually read. (Some would just be learning how to read.)

It was the next day that the shoot began. Cameras were prepared, Margot was ecstatic, two young girl assistants were forced to keep their distance and Pepe went down to the beach where the set was setup.

Pepe, being told what to wear had dark blues jean, a white t-shirt on and his normal shoes. Margot knew this was going to be a terrific shoot that is until Pheffe running behind him. She had two, big books in each arm. She was wearing a white t-shirt and her normal shoes as well. Instead of dark blue jeans she had a dark blue jean-skirt right at her knees.

"Who eez zhat?" she whispered to Yvonne, one of her assistants.

"Heez daughter." Yvonne said dully.

"We've been made een to babyseeters!" Margot grumbled.

Pheffe put the books down on a rock and stood up straight as if she was a French Legionnaire receiving orders. Pepe turned to her to give her the rules while this dreaded shoot was happening.

"Pheffe," he stated. "You can stay along the beach as long as you stay close by. Don't wander off, don't eat anything zhat eez een zhe garbage cans, don't go in zhe tide, don't get sand een zhose books, don't even let zhe books get wet, and most of all…geeve me a hug."

Pheffe stood on her tips of her toes as Pepe lifted her into his arms. Margot was not going to let the sweet moment continue.

"Break eet up!" she snapped. Pheffe scrambled out of Pepe's arms, took her books and ran towards a rusty swing set just a few feet away.

Pepe sighed. Hopefully, this session would not take long. The last time he had been in Le Havre was when he was twelve; a month after Joan had been born.

_**ITALY **_

Penelope had been in one of the shops getting some medicine for her family and her self. They had a slight cold. She was deep in thought over Pheffe when she noticed a familiar person on the magazine rack. Pepe was sitting on one of the rocks, his left hand held his head sideways in a dreamy state. His black eyes were staring out. (In reality they were watching Pheffe sitting on a rock a little farther off reading one of the books.) Penelope's heart lept into her throat. She had to buy it!!

When she was home she read stared for ten whole minutes at her husband. Tears of relief and joy in that he still wore his wedding ring. What had she to worry about anyway?

She had read the article contently and just when she thought it was done right on the next page where the article ended was a picture of Pheffe. It was somewhat blurry on purpose. She was on a swing, sailing into the air. Her smile revealed two lovely rows of straight, white teeth and her black hair blowing behind her.

She looked beautiful to Penelope. The title on the next page was: "A Daughter to Love." Several more photos followed of just her and then two of her with Pepe.

One had Pepe reading one of her books while she was on his shoulders following along. The second was a close-up of their eyes close together. Both black eyes looked identical, but Pheffe's eyes had a sweet brim of short eyelashes.

_**FRANCE **_

After a long photo shoot, Margot was glad to leave, she was annoyed that Pepe had asked if Pheffe could be in one of the photos and Yvonne and the other assistant, Gretchen thought it was so cute they should do another and have more of Pheffe. Eight shots of her, eight shots of him. Two shots together. Eighteen pictures together.

Margot put the last of the equipment in the car and muttered aloud to Gretchen.

"What a hold up she eez een zhat poor gentleman's extravagant life. Oh wait; he doesn't have one because of her."

She was unaware that the two skunks had heard that. Pepe face immediately twisted into a face of quick hate. Pheffe, feeling for a moment it was true had tears slowly fill her eyes. She felt Pepe lift her into his arms. His embraces always felt like fortresses of security and comfort.

"You know zhats not true." he said firmly.

Pheffe nodded. She knew her own parents better than that.

"Do you theenk you'd like a extravagant life?" she asked after a moment.

Pepe had already started walking along the shore.

"I wouldn't want my life any other way," he said with love. "Except eet would be better eef your mom was here."

"Ditto on that Dad," Pheffe said.

_Author's note: I had the beginning of this chapter started right after the last upload and then everything went chaotic in my life. I'm still angry with myself about how late I am. I hate keeping you guys waiting. My deepest apologies. I __**do**__ promise I won't leave the story unfinished. _


	24. The Bare Ring Finger

I do not own Pepe or Penelope

I do own Pheffe, the Pussycat family and the Le Pew family and the Le Eiffel Towers employees.

**I hate my life because apparently it hates me! Look how long it took me to update!! **

_**Chapter Twenty-Four **_

_**The Bare Ring Finger **_

Penelope's eyes opened. The warm sun lightly kissed her face through the clean window. She squinted and sat up straight. She leaned over to see the magazine cover of Pepe and smiled. She actually felt better than before because now she could see his face and Pheffe's.

"Penelope!" Francine's voice was outside the door in the hotel hallway. Penelope stumbled out of bed to answer it. Francine came in looking excited.

"Guess what?" she asked, but she didn't wait for an answer. "I have been asked to go on a date!"

"Who asked?" Penelope said warmly hugging her sister.

"He is from Italy, of course, he rows the gondolas in the evenings." Francine squealed.

"I've never seen you so excited." Penelope smiled. Seeing Francine happy made her feel happy.

"His name Gianni," Francine continued. "He has green eyes like grass with morning dew, and he has dark brown fur like chocolate gelato. He is sooo nice and funny and disciplined and strong."

At this moment Guiliane lifted up her sleeping, eye mask and rubbed her eyes.

"Who has fur like chocolate gelato?" she asked demandingly.

"Gianni," Francine sighed dreamily.

"Are you that serious?" Guiliane asked getting out of bed. "Where is my facial mask stuff?"

"Oh the things we will do," Francine whispered happily. "Maybe we will have a-a-a baby!"

Penelope suddenly felt cautious.

"You mean now?" she asked nervously.

"No, you silly goose!" Francine laughed.

"Francine, I know you are going to be forty in December, but you should not be in such a rush." Penelope said.

"I'm not eager because I'm pushing forty," Francine said. "I'm in love!!"

Francine skipped around flapping her arms. Penelope frowned. It seemed that Penelope acted more mature than her sisters and she was _their_ big sister.

Guiliane searched for a cute dress to wear as Penelope put out Leonardo's medication. His health was not very strong and he needed to take a pill each morning and have at least three cups of herbal tea during the day. Penelope would wonder how Nancy and Henry were doing when she did this each day.

By mid-morning the family was busy with their own things, but by the evening they were together. Except Francine was busy getting ready for her date. She was looking through two of her favorite dresses: A long, clinging, strapless one in black, or a plum purple strapless dress that had a matching belt.

"The black one is too dressy and suggestive for a first date," Leonardo stated.

So Francine wore the purple dress. She debated with Guiliane about accessories, (pearls or diamonds), fussed with mascara (thick lashes or thin lashes) and shoes (7'' gold heels or white 4'' heels with a red bead design.) She chose thick eyelashes, pearl necklace with matching bracelet and the 4''heels.

Penelope took no part in this.

"You don't have to worry about first impressions because you are not a bachelorette anymore," Leonardo smiled at her.

"I hated being one and hated thinking about marriage then because I didn't have a happy life," she said.

"I know," Leonardo answered solemnly. "I wish you had it better, but you probably never would have the loves that you have now if you had it good. Bad things will bring good in the future."

Gianni showed up at the door a few minutes after the discussion. Francine seemed like a teenage girl, excited. Gianni fitted her description like a glove on a hand. He was in a simple suit and had white roses with an Italian accent that would make any woman swoon or at least Francine.

Penelope could not help but laugh with her father and sister when they were gone.

"I was almost ready to have a talk with him," Leonardo laughed. "The father-to- daughter's-first-date-talk!"

"Francine looked so goofy when she greeted him!" Guiliane laughed so hard. "She told me through her make-up what his accent was like; it would make any woman swoon! Sooo-"

She was interrupted by Penelope. "Why didn't we swoon?!" she laughed hard.

It was just comedic to see Francine act this way because she was new to finding her own dates.

"I say French accents are the best!" Penelope chuckled.

Night came slowly for the three. They waited anxiously for Francine to come back. She came late that night glowing with happiness.

"Maybe, if I give it enough time," she said. "My left ring finger won't be bare ever again."

Penelope went to sleep feeling sorry for her and Guiliane. It seemed unfair that she had what they wanted and they didn't. She promised to herself that she would support them in their search for the right man.

A week later, Guiliane came home one evening happy like never before.

"Now, I'm in love!" she squealed. "His name is Fiorello. He has baby blue eyes, auburn fur, and a deep, sweeping Italian accent. He is funny, cool, adorable and so masculine."

So there it was, two men, Gianni Tullio and Fiorello Gerodi, (both men amazingly had the same middle name, Vinicio) who now gave the twins a new reason and purpose in life. Each night was alive and vigorous for the four. Dancing at parties, romantic dinners, gondola rides, and picking grapes in wine fields together.

Penelope spent those nights with Leonardo, taking care of him and roaming through the town. Penelope actually felt as if this was according to a big plan in her life that she never expected. She was spending time with her father, something she wished for since she was a child, but merrily forgot when her new life took shape.

Perhaps, she and Pheffe were being blessed with these couple of years of just being with their fathers, a bond a woman should have in her life. After all, until she is married, a woman depends on her father.

Penelope felt content now with almost everything. Now she just had to go home. That was the only sad thing on her head of how she would get home without much money, until something horrible happened.

It was a chilly evening and the small family was out together along a bridge when a robber jumped out at them and stole Guiliane's purse. Another robber jumped out and snatched Francine's pearl bracelet of her wrist and knocked Leonardo down. The twins were quickly at his aid. Now the two robbers grabbed Penelope and since she did not have a purse they began to stick their hands in her jean pockets and down her shirt. Fierceness broke through her and she slapped both in one blow across their faces. One held onto her waist and the other tried to kiss her. Except, he ended up with a bump on his forehead because Penelope head-butted him hard, jabbed the other with her elbow, and kicked each one in the shins. Seeing she was a threat the second ran off, but the other was wicked.

He twisted her left wrist and snatched off the ring, but seeing there was no jewels on it he flung it into the river under the bridge.

Penelope felt a scream of horror escape from her heart. She jumped out to catch it, but it was too late.

PLUNK

The ring fell to the deep bottom, as the robber ran after his partner in crime.

Penelope wasted no time! She jumped into the icy cold water. It felt like daggers poking her skin. The fish in the river smacked her legs and waist. She ignored that and struggled to find the ring, but the water blurred her vision. She came up to breathe after a minute. By now her family was looking over the bridge in fear that she would drown.

Penelope searched the area she was in over and over again. Dunking her head in until she was all soaked to the skin and bead and trickles of water rain from her head, face, nose, ears, fingertips, and tail.

Despaired she climb out onto the mossy bank and lay their feeling defeated. Francine cried out.

"Look! I see it!"

Penelope bent over the bank to see it softly glowing like a penny in a fountain by the street lights. Relieved she gingerly slid into the water again, but once her feet hit the pebbled floor and fish swam over the ring and it was gone. The fish swallowed the ring.

Penelope's jaw went down as hot tears formed in her black eyes. Leonardo, Francine and Guiliane back away gently.

Penelope stood there for five more minutes, feeling hopeless. Her signature of being in wedlock was gone forever. Her favorite jewelry she ever had in her whole life and for the rest was history. Her favorite gift from Pepe was far away by now. His purity ring that was an exchange for his purity to her was gone. A token of their love. A gesture between them that was never broken no matter what.

Her palms were now like raisins. Her clothes clinging to her like glue. The three Pussycats sat on a bench close by watching her. So much pity ran in their hearts. Penelope felt her heart beat slowly and finally on her cold, wet face, hot tears gently flowed.

_Author's Note: As a shout out to the Johhny Depp fans (celandinesquirrel for one) Gianni is the Italian version for Johnny._ _Ooh-la-la!_ _Sorry if anybody cried at the end, I kept hearing a sad piano song in my head as I wrote that part. _


	25. Penelope Makes her Final Decision

_I do not own Pepe or Penelope, _

_I do own Pheffe, Louis, the Pussycat family, Nancy, Gianni, Fiorello the McFadden girls and the Le Eiffel Towers Studio employees. Oliver Twist belongs the great author Charles Dickens. _

_Aaaaaannnnndddddd my life has been cruel to me again! I'll explain. Sorry if my Italian accent writing is terrible! _

_**Chapter Twenty-Five **_

_**Penelope Makes her Final Decision **_

It had been a week since the loss of the ring and Penelope was now bewildered of what to do with her life. Her heart was going in three directions. One was staying in Italy with her family to take care of them. The second was going back home. The third was going on a wild goose chase for the ring! The third seemed the most pointless.

Penelope felt saddened with loneliness when she saw her sisters with their boyfriends; smooching, hugging goodbye, chattering about life together and the worst…names for their children!!

One day it would be boy names and the next day girl names. First names, middle names, nicknames! The little, cute list of imagination, quickly became a laundry list of plans out of the blue.

Penelope honestly had no idea how the lovesick double-duo would go farther in their relationship until a few weeks later. That's when the pot called the kettle black.

Penelope had just returned from a dance routine earlier that day and ran a few errands. She went back to the complex to fetch some shopping lists that Guiliane and Francine asked to get because they said they had important business that whole day and maybe at night. Penelope did not know what was so important other then maybe _Pasta and Things_ or the beauty parlor had meetings at the same time.

"Let me see," Penelope mumbled to herself as she went up to the elevator and the doors opened. "Francine asked me to get something at the drug store for a game she is going to have at her job. Guiliane wanted some fruit and a certain drink from the market. What was it though?"

Penelope arrived to the fourth floor where she lived with her family brood. She fumbled through her jean pocket for the key. She was pulling it out when she heard and loud thump. Confused, she glanced down the hall right and left. No one was there. Shrugging she unlocked the door and opened it halfway when she heard a shriek.

"Penelope!!!" it was Guiliane. Penelope was startled by her until she saw what Guiliane was doing.

Guiliane was sitting up in her bed the covers pulled to her chest, her eyes and mouth wide.

"What?!" Penelope cried in shock. For it was not Guiliane that shocked her, it was the pile of Guiliane and _Fiorell_o_'_s clothes scattered in heap on the floor. It was obvious that Guiliane was not wearing anything under the covers. Fiorello, obliviously sleeping under the covers.

"I'm-I'm…s'cuse me!!" Penelope gasped in horror. She hurried out slamming the door. She leaned against the door in shock, her legs moving like jelly that was being put on a dish. Her heart was pounding in her chest as if she had been running for days with no rest. Then, she heard Fiorello talking in Italian and Guiliane answering him back in Italian. Then all of sudden… giggling and groans!

Penelope dashed out of the building in such disgust. She ran to Gianni's apartment. Gianni lived on the first floor with a nice patio of plants. Penelope figured she would tell him what was happening, after all he and Fiorello were friends.

"Gianni!" she called pounding on the door. "Fiorello's causing havoc!!"

"What?" Gianni opened the door a crack. "Come on a- in!" He cheerfully said, letting her in a nice living room of brown, suede furniture.

"I hope I'm not interrupting," she said sitting down. She noticed he was in a bathrobe.

"No trouble!" he said and gave her a cup of freshly brewed tea.

"Fiorello and Guiliane were…was having s-"she stuttered.

"Uh, hold on, a-minute Penelope," Gianni interrupted. "I, uh, must brush a-my teeth!"

"Oh, alright." Penelope said. She sat there for a minute, then two more. Two more minutes, five more, five more again, then she couldn't take it.

"Gianni!" she yelled. She stomped around the corner that led to his bedroom, where the bathroom door was shut. There was the sound of water running. A shower.

"What a day!" Penelope grumbled. She knocked. No answer. She knocked faster. No answer still. "Gianni, open this door, I have to tell you something important so you don't make the same mis-take."

At the word "make" Penelope turned the door knob and went in prepared for what she thought was the worst. It was worse.

Gianni peeked his head out from behind the curtain and following his head was…FRANCINE!

The three cats were wide-eyed in embarrassment.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE??!!" Francine screamed in anger. Francine hardly got angry.

"I can't believe any of this!!" Penelope yelled in frustration. With that she ran like a lightning bolt out the front door.

"Those two!!" she ranted to herself. "What were they thinking?! Are they _that_ desperate for a baby?! I can't go back to the complex, the bed just maybe moving across the floor!! I hate this!! Why?! Why?! Why?! Those stupid, twin knuckleheads!!"

Penelope seethed around a park for an hour just ranting and scolding nobody. It was no surprise that Italian family passing by gave awkward sideway glances to her. Penelope was too steamed to notice.

After that long hour, Penelope went to the complex kitchen. Leonardo was feeling better from his weakness and was back in the kitchen preparing meals. The clatter of plates, soup bowls and glasses were interrupted from the swinging doors that slammed open and Penelope giving a long yell that she never yelled before.

"DADDY!!" she yelled above the clattering. The kitchen was silent. Leonardo, embarrassed, walked over to his youngest child and whispered sharply.

"What do you think you are doing?!" he answered. "You are an adult-"

"Don't tell me!" Penelope snapped as she marched across the red tiled floor. "Tell your naughty twins!"

"What does that mean?" Leonardo said tilting his head to the right with a confused look in his eyes.

"Come on!" Penelope cried, grabbing his arm and tugging. "They're both doing it! They're allowing it! They…they like it!" Penelope was running low of breath. Her throat felt dry.

"Well," said one of the chefs, Antonia, who was putting tiramisu on a desert plate. "You shoulda have a look."

"I suppose I will." Leonardo sighed. He was tired and did not want any more trouble.

"Penelope!" he managed to gasp as his daughter yanked him by the arm to their room. "Please, you need to tell me what is happening. How can I help you when you won't tell me?"

"You'll see!" Penelope shouted over her shoulder in frustration.

"There is no need to shout, I'm right here!" her tired father remarked. They were at the door where Penelope pressed one ear up to for a second.

"Now, you will witness your firstborns caught in the act!" she whispered sharply. She didn't hear anything, but guessed Guiliane and Fiorello were being quiet to look innocent.

"SEE!!??" she yelled as she slammed the door open. Guiliane and Francine were sitting on their bed, talking.

"Papa!" Guiliane said with a big smile on her face. "What are you doing here so early?"

Francine smiled too, but gave a quick glare to Penelope.

"Penelope said you were both doing something," Leonardo answered. "What was it?"

"Nothing!" exclaimed Guiliane, who gave a terrific performance of innocence.

"We were not with our boyfriends, or sleeping with them." A very bad actress Francine said.

Leonardo's eyes went wide in shock. His jaw dropped in even more shock. He knew Francine would somehow admit the truth by trying to lie.

"So what?" Guiliane snapped. "Francine and our men, along with I are adults. We can handle our decisions."

"We all wanted to," Francine protested. "We all felt ready!"

"Guiliane Sabrina! Francine Tranquilla!" was all Leonardo said with an angry tone in his voice.

"See Papa!" Penelope said. "I told you they were being naughty!"

"Shut up!" Guiliane barked back at her. "You act like you are perfect! Little Miss Well-Behaved!"

"You do act like that," Francine agreed.

"Both of you," Leonardo said coldly. "You both should know better. I told you to be careful about illness from sleeping with other men. What if your boys are not the Ones, then you did it with another! You could get diseases-"

"Papa you worry too much!" interrupted Francine.

Guiliane glared at Penelope with angered eyes.

"I care for you two very much!" stated a tired Penelope. "What if that was all they wanted and you got pregnant? Who would help raise your baby? They would for sure leave!"

"Just because you wai-" interrupted Guiliane.

"Don't think of me as some perfectionist, but you lost something sacred in a marriage!" said Penelope trying to bring Nancy's words to life.

"You think you are better than us!" said Guiliane, standing up straight and stomping slowly to her youngest sister. "You think because you have it all you can run our lives!"

"I don't, I just-" Penelope started to explain.

"Forget it!!" came a sassy snap from Guiliane that sounded like the crack of a whip. "You call yourself a dainty housewife, a bride, a spouse but your not! You are not any!! Pepe married you only for that I bet, so you wouldn't need to be given cash!! You are not his wife!! You are a low, bold, impudent…Loose Woman!!!"

Penelope's jaw fell down, as well as Francine and Leonardo's. Even Francine would not have gone that far in her anger. They all knew the harsher term for "Loose Woman," but kept their mouths shut. Guiliane was probably about to say it, when Penelope deeply hurt by her sister's words, ran out of their room. Tears began streaming down her face as she dashed past her two other family members.

Out the door she ran, to the outdoors to the same place her ring had been tossed. She sat on a bench, sobbing hard. She never felt so crushed by Guiliane! All the over-whelming emotions she had been forced to live with in her whole life flooded back: loneliness, sadness, fear, frustration, and anger. Only after a little while did she feel the good emotions: happiness, bliss, joy, contentment, and love. Where was that? Where were all those good things now? Far away from here.

It was only less of an hour that Penelope calmed down. She stared out with damp eyes and a tear-streaked face.

"I hate crying," her thoughts mourned. "I've done too much crying for one person."

"Penelope?" came a soft voice. Penelope turned to see it was Francine. She had a very sorry look on her face.

"I'm sorry Guiliane hurt your feeling and I deeply apologize that I did too."

"I'm sorry I tattled," Penelope managed to say. "However, I expect both of you to understand why I told."

"Penelope, you never have to worry about us," Francine said gently. She sat on the bench to her sister's right. "Guiliane and I are adults as much as you are. We can take care of ourselves. I mean, neither of us are naïve children, we-"

"You were both very naïve!" Penelope shot back with venom in her voice. Francine was taken aback! "How could you both think just by appearance that Gianni and Fiorello were the ones!!? They could have been con-artists or predators!! They might have dated you only to get…you know what!! Then they would have left you alone, forgotten, casted aside or even pregnant!! Are you really ready for that?! Who would have supported you?! Who would have fathered the baby?! You think you could balance motherhood and jobs just so you could have a place to stay or food to survive on?!!"

Francine's mouth opened in shock. She never thought of that. She looked down at the ground in embarrassment and fright. Since she said nothing yet, Penelope continued:

"I told because I care for you two! I love you both very much! You're the only siblings I have. I couldn't bear the thought of you two getting hurt by men! I want both of you to find the right man; I just want both of you to take your time. You still have a long life ahead. It's never too late to marry!"

"Why do you care?"

Penelope noticed that Francine had tears in her eyes as she asked her question.

"Guiliane and I never cared for you back then. We ignored you and never had kindness to say! We were like ugly stepsisters, but worse. We were not stepsisters! We were real, blood-related sisters! After all we've done to you, why do you care and show grace to us! We don't deserve it!!"

"People need grace in their lives," said Penelope. She put her arm around her sister reassuringly. "I could be angry and hate you both, but I don't. I received the best before both of you: a husband, kind in-laws and a child. I never thought I would. I was afraid of marriage and giving birth, but both of those have given me two marvelous blessings. I love my sisters because you are my sisters. All of us endured our mother's harshness which we never asked for. The three of us along with Papa never asked for her emotional abuse."

"How did you know?" sobbed Francine. "When did it occur to you that Pepe was the one?"

"I still don't know exactly," said Penelope after a pause. "All I knew was that he cared for me. He listened to me, he didn't criticize me, and he accepted me for me. No one else ever did before. After all he did for me throughout my pregnancy I could never repay him. He never complained about my mood-swings or cravings. He would dash out of the house to get me different food and brought me bowls of throw-up in. I was so hard to get along with and he never lost his cool. He never forgot our anniversary, he took care of Pheffe with no complaints, he comforted me in my turmoil and every thing I can remember. At a party at his and Louis's (my brother-in-law) job, the two of them were given the hard jobs. It was running back and forth taking peoples demands and orders. I mentioned how terrific he was to me. Some women employees said, 'I envy you! My husband has never caressed me with such devotion or love like that." I was surprised and then I realized it. I had perhaps the best husband in the world. I know people say things like that: 'Best Mommy,' "World's Greatest Grandma.' You know, like that, but Pepe deserves an award for "Best Husband" in my opinion. As of now, I should have "Worst Wife.'"

Francine was quiet now, looking at her sister deeply. She never knew Penelope thought of that.

"With Pheffe I understood what purpose I had," continued Penelope. "I never knew what is felt like to have someone look up to you. I knew it was not always going to be about me…and I loved that thought. I would be better than my mother at all costs. Boy was I wrong. I haven't seen my two skunks in almost three years."

"Penelope you deserve all those things because you never had love in your life before." Francine said lovingly. "I'm sorry you got stuck with such a family." Francine hung her head down.

"I must leave." Penelope said plainly.

"No, don't leave because of my mistakes or Guiliane's," began Francine.

"I've been away long enough," Penelope said. "I'm going home, money or not."

"I love you," said Francine shakily. She hugged he sister tightly. Penelope returned the hug only to find tears forming in her own eyes.

"I love you too," Penelope answered shakily. Between the two of them, something felt right and comforting.

_**FRANCE **_

Another book snapped shut. Slowly it was returned to its shelf. The soft scribbling of a pen on lined paper was heard. Pheffe wrote down her analysis. It was the book "_Oliver_ _Twist_." All the classic books were in that small book room at the studio. Pheffe read each book on the shelves. She just finished this one. The door snapped open, the McFadden Girls; (daughters of Lars McFadden, an editor) came towards their prey. Terrible grins on their faces. Those big hair-bows and velvet dressed girls were filthy rich and were not afraid to shove it down anyone's throat. Pheffe was an easy target because she didn't have velvet dresses and sashes. Pheffe was glad she didn't, it looked so old-fashioned and ridiculous. The girls cam in line; Destiney, Mercy, Truth, Peace and Harmony, girls who had good valued names, but were the total opposite. They should have been named Mean, Bratty, Spoiled, Gluttonous and Greed. Their younger brother, Justice, should have been named Lazy.

"Look who it is!" said Destiney, the leader. She was ten. "The loser of all losers, still alive as if she had any reason to live."

"When are you going to pack on some pound s Anorexia?" Mercy taunted. The girls were very fat from many sweets which they screamed for endlessly.

"When are you going to _loose_ some of zhat junk Roly-Poly?" Pheffe replied back.

"So is your mom coming back to see you?" Truth asked.

"I've told you she eez taking care of her family!" Pheffe said sharply.

"You are a little liar!" laughed Peace.

"Liar! Liar!" chirped Harmony. The five skipped in a circle around Pheffe, who rolled her eyes. She broke through the circle to go out the back door for some air.

Pheffe was in the little alleyway which led to an antique store. Smiling, she headed down that way, but the McFadden's were like mosquitoes.

Mercy and Peace were rudely imitating her accent while Truth poked Pheffe in the back. Harmony got in Pheffe's face to make silly faces at her. Pheffe was almost loosing it!

Two more things to annoy her and she would fight back. Destiney laughed scornfully at Pheffe. That was one!

Suddenly four of the girls yanked on Pheffe's tail very hard which caused her to stop. It really hurt because the tail bone was connected to her spinal chord! It felt like her tail would disconnect. Destiney got in front of Pheffe and said the most hurtful.

"You know," she said full of spite. Her sister giggled along. "We figured something out, two things in fact. You are a _love child_ and your parents just won't admit it!!"

Pheffe yelled in anger and lunged at Destiney, knocking her to the ground. Destiney felt the wind knocked out of her as Pheffe punched her face. Mercy came to her sister's aide by tugging on Pheffe's hair, but Pheffe spat in her face, blinding her. Peace and Truth flipped Pheffe off her feet to the pavement, but Pheffe kicked them in the chest. Harmony started running, until Pheffe pulled her down her one jerk at the ankle. The fight went on one to five for what seemed to be a long time.

Lars came out to see where his daughters had gone to when he saw them. He found them in pain.

It was such a sight! Pheffe had Destiney pinned to the ground, her knee digging into Mercy, and Truth tucked under one of her arms. Peace was screaming (all except Pheffe were screaming) because Pheffe had bitten her twice on her left arm and now she was pinned by Pheffe's other arm. Harmony was trying to escape by crawling, but Pheffe got her too. It was like an alien horror film because Pheffe's long tail twisted around and yanked Harmony back against the wall. Pheffe had won, but she was giving them all sensitivity training!

Lars was angry he hated Pepe and Louis for their success and hated Pheffe because she was related to them. Now he hated her more then ever.

It was thirty minutes later that everything stopped at the studio. Women were slapping bandages on the McFadden Girls wherever they saw blood. Pheffe sat upright in a chair, she had gotten a bruise on the stomach, a sore shin, but she won the fight. She smiled boldly, she felt like she conquered a war. Of course the McFadden Girls were acting pitiful and whining to their Papa that they just wanted to play with Pheffe and she got all sassy with them. Pheffe was outraged by their lies and people were buying it! She longed for Uncle Louis and Dad to come since they temporarily left for an errand for Brielle.

"But eez makes no sense!" Brielle said defending Pheffe. "Pheffe hardly lies, why would she lie about zhis? Lars, your cheeldren are not easily predeectable!"

"At least she cares for me!" Pheffe huffed to herself.

"My darlings never lie!!" Lars retorted. "I knew that child was no good. She should not even be alive!"

Pheffe felt like a knife had cut her. She hid her tears of hurt very well by furrowing her eyebrows. Finally, Louis and Pepe came back. With Lars's rant and everyone else's complaints of Pheffe it seemed like it would be a long day tomorrow. Mariette and Brielle were the only ones who stood up for Pheffe particularly because they grew to love Pheffe over the past years. After all, Mariette saw Pheffe as a granddaughter because she only had grandsons. Brielle saw Pheffe as a baby sister.

"She bit me that ferocious vampire!" sobbed Peace. Pheffe snarled at her with a wicked smile as if she did have fangs.

Pepe looked coldly at Pheffe which caused her to be quiet.

"I'll take charge of Pheffe." Pepe said directly said to Lars. Louis gave a threatening glance to Lars. Pheffe knew what was coming and soberly walked out. Pepe followed her for one second and then suddenly turned and faced Lars again.

SLAP!!!!

Lars's head turned to the side in pain! Pepe looked him in the eye.

"Eef you are spreading lies of Pheffe, I weell make sure the next slap eez worse!"

It was not too long before Pepe spoke again to Pheffe. They were at waling under The Eiffel Tower which was slowly lighting.

"Pheffe, I'm deesapointed een your behavior," he said plainly.

"Eet's not my fault!" Pheffe protested.

"Pheffe, I know eet's hard to back down, but at least try next time."

"Zhey were poking me, making fun of my accent, and pulled my tail."

"Zhen you should have told Mariette or Brielle. They would have kept you out of trouble."

"Zhey called me a love child, eet was eensulting you and Mom. I'm sorry, I just hate when someone offends you, Mom or anyone I love. I hate eet worse than when I'm hurt. You and Mom are not zhat!" Pheffe felt tears water her eyes.

Pepe listen to Pheffe tell the rest of her troubles and was still convinced of the McFadden's lies.

"Eef I don't stand up for myself, I'll look scared. You don't get eet! You're not scared of anytheeng!"

"I was really scared one time." Pepe said kneeling at Pheffe's level. "When you were separated from us in Orleans, I was afraid I would never see you again. I was afraid zhat I could not protect you. Why do you theenk I tried to prevent you from being shot? I was afraid you would not live. Eet's my job to be concerned about you."

"Really?" Pheffe asked. Pepe pulled her into a hug.

"I don't know how I would go on eef I lost you." said Pepe with such honestly and love.

_Author's Note: It took me long to update because I had to fill a form of my writing skills. (It's personal.) My parents said I should put down my fan fiction on the form, but I didn't want. They ordered me to for my success, so I was scared. Doing fan fiction means so much to me. It's like my alter ego; I didn't want people to know of it. I could have had a bad day and remembered that there were faithful readers who did not cause me to have bad days. I love my fan fiction life and don't want people outside of it to know its me. I do apologize of the trouble, but I want to thank you all for reading and just accepting me as bellechat. Hugs for all of you. _:)

_Pay attention to the last line that Pepe said, it will come back! Ooh! _


	26. What could have Happened that Happened

_I do not own Pepe or Penelope. They belong to the fantastic Mr. Chuck Jones. _

_I do own Pheffe,(her alias Penny Kitty) the Le Pew family, the Pussycat family (and their boyfriends) Les Miserables, Queens, fans and hospital members. Oh, the employees of Eiffel Tower Studio. You get the picture! _

_Author's Note: My computer is EVIL!! It broke down and I had to go on a wild goose chase just to get it fixed! That's why I'm late. Sorry. Next one will be up less than a week. Since my computer crashed I had to rewrite the chapter, hence the reason it may not be so great. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask. :) This and the next few chapters are going to be loooong. So have food and drink nearby, take a break in between and brace yourself! DO NOT PANIC WHEN THE DRAMA COMES ON!! Keep reading! Okay, now that we're ready. :) _

_**Chapter Twenty-Six **_

_**What could have Happened that Happened **_

"I'll be leaving in another few weeks to go home," said Penelope. She was looking through a small red leather check book to see how much a plane ticket would be.

"Penelope are you certain?" asked her anxious and saddened father.

"Yes, Papa." said Penelope. "I've been away from home too long."

"Penelope if there was anything I could change-"began Leonardo.

Penelope faced him gently.

"It has nothing to do with you, or with my sisters. Not even Guiliane. I have let go of it. I'm an adult; I have responsibilities where I belong. Where I have belonged long before I even knew it."

"You must indeed." said Leonardo with his eyes glistening. "So you must leave for the right reasons." He stroked his youngest child's face with fatherly affection. He was going to miss her so much. "If only I had done better when you were a little girl, I feel like time has passed too quickly. I should have protected you and your sisters from your mother, but I let her have it her way. You would have had a happier childhood, friends, and no intimidation."

"I know, I think about that still." said Penelope as she closed the check book.

"But," continued Leonardo. "You would not have met Pepe for sure. You might have met another cat and had children looking exactly like you. I am happy to say I have a granddaughter that proves your mother's stereotype of skunks is incorrect."

"Were you angry when I told you?" asked Penelope nervously.

"I was shocked and confused, but not angry." said Leonardo with complete honestly. "It was just a mystery of why you did. I know now and I knew when I first saw him, you loved him. I could tell right away that he loved you. I knew I did not have to worry about my baby girl being in the wrong arms."

Just then the door opened. It was Guiliane with Francine behind her. Francine sat on one of the beds with a nervous look in her eyes. Guiliane looked sad and focused on the floor.

"P-P-Penelope," she stuttered which was never like herself. "I-I-I'm sorry that I called you a loose woman. I just-" Guiliane burst into tears with great sobs. She just stood there crying her eyes out for minutes until she looked up and saw Penelope was not there. She was at Guiliane's side a cold washcloth and wiped her face.

Penelope smiled a kind, gentle smile and took her sisters hand in hers. Guiliane pulled Penelope into the biggest hug she ever gave in her entire life. The hurt and anger was gone for good.

"I love you," said Penelope patting her sister's back. Guiliane wiped her eyes with her fists and smiled a real smile back at her.

"I love you too Little Sissy," said Guiliane with a sweet tone in her voice.

Francine weaved her way between the two and gave them both a group hug. Leonardo got his arms around his three girls to hug all of them.

"Now this is the _real_ Pussycat family," said one happily smiling Penelope Le Pew.

**ITALY JAIL **

Tom Queens walked to the jail cell that contained Bryony, who was in a brown jumpsuit glaring at the dull, white wall.

"Well, you asked to visit me," said Bryony. "What do you need? I'm in jail."

"I was told you were here and I felt bad for you." said Tom with honesty.

"Since you're here can you do me a favor?" she asked.

"A favor?" asked Tom who was confused.

"Indeed."

"What is it?"

"I need you to kill someone for me! Kill Pheffe Le Pew!"

"What?! I cannot do it! I do not know who that is for one!"

"She is Penelope Peony's filthy love child and offspring of the creature that took advantage of Penelope Peony. This will be my final attack to destroy him."

"Him?"

"Pepe Le Pew. Once Pheffe is killed, he will not last long either. Penelope Peony may not last long as well. I will win this time!!!"

"I will not!" said Tom firmly. He turned his head away from Bryony in disgust.

"Is you family business in trouble?" she asked. "I can help you somehow. You would not want to disappoint you father and mother would you? You are their only child."

Tom didn't want to disappoint his parents, but killing somebody, even a child was wrong.

"Kill Pheffe anyway you want! I want her dead!"

**FRANCE **

"What deed I allow?" thought Pepe. This was not what he had in mind. Penny Kitty had become nothing but a nuisance to him. He was tired of hearing about her on TV, and in the newspaper everyday. He wanted Pheffe the way she had been before: completely herself.

Pepe did decided to talk with Pheffe about this, but Pheffe had something else on her mind. She wanted to give a special concert for the fans and then tour. She called up agents in France promising big money if they would help with the setting up. Tickets went out fast in just five hours that day.

Pheffe (Penny Kitty's alter ego) had become drunk with power of being famous. She was completely drugged with showering camera flashes and the lust for attention and acceptance.

Seven-thirty that night went crazy. Penny was already on a roll. She was just showing off of course. It was almost the finale and Penny went back to change into her last outfit which was a dark blue mini skirt and lacey cami with pumps. (Pepe did not even know Pheffe had bought it with the money that _Penny_ earned.) Pepe tiredly sat in the small on the floor by the dressing room entrance sorting through the words to say. Louis was there as well half asleep. Pheffe (Penny) went to change her outfit one last time. He heard nothing but the cheers from the crowd then at least three minutes later of Pepe and Pheffe angrily yelling at each other.

"Now what?" he grumbled to himself. Louis was getting tired of _Penny Kitty_ as well. He leaned towards the door and heard a yell from Pheffe.

With the worst venom and hurt in her voice she yelled: "I WISH YOU WERE NOT MY DAD!!!!"

The door slammed by her strong hand and she stomped out to the stage. Everything went by so fast to Louis he did not even have a moment to ask Pepe what the argument was about. Pepe shoved past him and out the backdoor.

"I'll be the bystander and just let zhem feex zhis zhemselves." thought Louis.

An hour later, Pheffe was doing encores over and over again, constantly repeating her only five songs. Some concert if there were only five songs to sing! Louis stepped outside for a few minutes to get fresh air. The sky was full of clouds as if it would rain. Louis walked out a little farther and pondered over the beauty of the sky. How it looked like a blue dome of little twinkling stars. Sometimes the sky seemed flat and then he would think of a painting of swift strokes from the brush. Louis forgot about the fight between his niece and brother.

Suddenly he smelled something. It smelled like smoke, a lot of smoke. He turned back and his jaw dropped in fear.

During her encore Pepe had walked home. He felt very sore and dizzy. He sat on the couch. Feelings of anger, hurt and guilt welded up in his heart. He missed Pheffe before she asked to be Penny. How could he have let her? It caused a strain for her good nature. Absent-mindedly he clicked the TV remote on and flipped through what little channels there were. What stopped him was the news. There was a fire happening uptown…at the building Penny was performing!!

Fear swept through his heart at the sight of what seemed to be said that Penny had not been found by the reporter. Pepe rushed out the door as fast as he could with only Pheffe, not Penny in his mind.

When he got there he was surprised to find the building had collapsed to the ground. Louis was standing close by with his eyes watery. Pepe glanced in his direction which became a full stare of fear.

Two firemen were pulling Pheffe (her wig was off and she had on normal clothes) out of the charred rubble, her face covered in ash and a heavy scent of smoke covering her normal scent. She looked lifeless, but her lips quivered as if she was trying to breathe.

_One Day Later _

Heartbeat steadily moved. An IV bag of clear fluid rain into her limp hand. Her black hair pulled into a small bun. Her chest slowly moved up and down to breathe, but her eyes were slammed shut. Her eyelashes didn't move, but only became a small bar of black against her white eyelids. Pheffe was in a coma. With the smoke that had filled her lungs she needed to be at the hospital as soon as possible.

The world was grieving for Penny Kitty, thinking she had not survived the sudden electric spark which caused the fire. What no one knew was that Pheffe had run backstage to get out thinking it would be faster than the front. She suddenly turned into her dressing room and went into her old clothes except for the boots and her wig came off as she put on her old white tee. She ran to the door, but the pieces of the roof fell in front of her blocking her path. Coughing Pheffe kept on running around trying to get out until she passed out from no fresh air. All the fans there at the show had survived, but the girls were crushed that their model had passed.

Pepe by now slowly crept into the hospital room. Pheffe did not stir. Carefully, he sat on the edge of the bed, gently pushed her neck forward and loosened her pulled back hair. A waterfall of ebony tumbled right to her shoulders. Grabbing hold of a brush on the small table at his side Pepe brushed Pheffe's hair. A smell of smoke still lingered in it. Pepe felt such a force of anger at himself. It was his fault this had happened.

After a long fifteen minutes of brushing her hair until it had a small glimmer in it, Pepe stroked her head with fatherly affection. Had it only been so long ago that Pheffe had been born? Almost seven years ago? Pheffe would be seven in June. Now it was mid-April.

What no one knew was that Pheffe had run backstage when the stage caught fire. She had run backstage to retrieve her high tops that she still cherished. She knew she would never live it down if they were burned away to pieces. However, as she did so fire caught her wig and she tore it off. It burned away. The Penny clothes did not have a good fabric, hence was easily flammable. Pheffe took those clothes off put on the clothes that she came in. When she ran for the back door she was blocked off by the roof collapsing rapidly. She ran back and forth in the whole building, but everywhere she went she was closed in. Her lungs were filling with the smoke. She couldn't breathe and finally passed out where she was later found.

Penny Kitty was no more which relieved the Le Pew family. However, it came with a price. Pheffe's condition. The same doctor that healed Pheffe from her starvation, Dr. Paulette Oriel was there once again. She was the same middle-aged rabbit that felt concernment for Pheffe and was even more concerned at this current situation.

"Now," Paulette said to her faithful assistant, Aurelie Coeur. "We must remember to geeve Pheffe zhis certain medicine in her IV. Eet well make her strong and again."

"Zhat girl eez so heart-warming," said Aurelie. "I feel terrible zhat somezhing like zhat happened to her." Aurelie was a human with dark brown hair that was chin length and had bright blue eyes. She took care of Pheffe once before when Pheffe was still recovering from her starvation.

"Well, you can't control everyzhing," said Paulette as the two walked down the hall to check on Pheffe again.

Late that night the worst happened.

Pheffe's heart rate stopped.

The next day followed with only nine of the Le Pew members grieving. Pepe was not among them yet.

Pepe felt hope in him on this day when he woke up and brought Pheffe' favorite book, _Les Miserables_ to read to her thinking it might awaken her.

"Pheffe," he said cheerfully "I have your favorite book. I-" Then his eyes were in shock.

Pheffe's face was lifeless, her eyes shut. A death certificate on the side table and the heart monitor was still. Her IV was out and she was not breathing.

Nancy was sitting in her corner tears in her eyes.

"Mom?" Pepe's voice wavered. Nancy could not answer other than she burst into tears. Louis and Henry were there as well. Henry held his wife and was shaking. Louis looked at his brother with sorrow.

"She's gone." answered Louis. "Her heart rate went down tragically. They tried everything, but it was too late. I'm sorry." Then his face crumpled up and he let out a sob. His only niece…was gone.

Pepe's mouth dropped and quivered.

"NO!!" he yelled in anger. He dropped the book and shook Pheffe.

"Pheffe! Wake up! Come on!! Get up!!"

Pheffe did not wake up. Her motionless body did not stir. It was there that Pepe's world crashed.


	27. The Love in a Family

_I do not own Pepe or Penelope. They belong to the fantastic Mr. Chuck Jones. _

_I do own Pheffe, (her alias Penny Kitty) the Le Pew family, the Pussycat family (and their boyfriends) Tom Queens, Philippe, Julian and, police, hospital members or people at the memorial home-place. This may be silly to say but I don't own Romeo and Juliet, Oliver Twist or Mary Janes either. Since my days were busy, I was writing at nigh with what time I had and editing anything that seemed confusing. I hope you guys write a good review and maybe shed a tear or two. It's okay to cry. Tears are not always bad. This goes back and forth because I want a specific amount of chapters in this story. So do your best to keep up. See what happens! _

_**Chapter Twenty-Seven **_

_**The Love in a Family **_

Pheffe was dressed in black, and in an open coffin. She was in black pants, a silky tee that was black as well and black low-tops. (They were going to be her seventh birthday gift.) Her hair was gently arranged on her shoulders and the pillow. Pepe stood looking at her, with a broken heart. He held her first Christmas necklace in his right palm. He could not bear the thought of it being buried in the ground and decided to keep it as a memory. His eyes watered as he remembered Pheffe being only six months old when she received it. It was the first Christmas of being married to Penelope and having a baby. What more could he have asked for that Christmas? Nothing. He could not have been any happier on that day with his lovely wife and adorable little girl. Both had been swiped from him.

"I'm sorry Pheffe," he whispered to her. "You deserved a better father because I could not protect you."

Nancy who was there as well heard that and she felt her heart ache for her son.

"How could he say that?" she thought. "No parent is perfect, even I know zhat."

"We'll let the coffin stay open for another day, and then we will bury her." said Nanette, the old human woman at the memorial home.

"Of course," said Nancy. She left the room to leave her son alone.

"He's seems to be taking zhis very hard," said Nanette.

"She's was heez only child," said Nancy. Then a fear shot through her. She asked for the phone and called home. Ann answered it and was given a strict order.

That evening everyone was at Nancy's and Henry's house. The family was quiet as if they had lost their voices. Ann slipped into the house silently and nodded to her mother.

"Where were you?" whispered Marie to her twin sister.

"I'll tell you later," Ann whispered back. Then the fifteen-year-old girls sat on the stairs to stare out.

Pepe was in the kitchen sitting at the small table. Nancy kept on looking at him feeling concerned that he was not grieving in the terms that he was not crying. She could tell. She knew him well.

"Pepe," she said gently, putting a cup of cider in front of him. "Eet's alright to cry. You have every right to do so."

"I won't," he said. His voice was cold. "Pheffe wouldn't want me to. Anyway, eet's my fault she's dead."

Nancy was stunned. She only hoped he would stay here for a little while longer because she feared what he would do by himself.

"Pepe, parents can only do so much to protect zhere cheeldren." She said. "Eet's sad, but parents are not perfect."

"You were never een zhis problem," her son answered. "You have eight, not just one! Do you know what I'm going through?!"

"Not quite," said Nancy. "I've had meescarriages, but I would understand better eef zhis had happened to any of my sons and daughters." She sat down next to him and said what she had wanted to tell him since Pheffe was born.

"For some reason, I always saw you having a daughter of you own. I'm not sure why, perhaps eet's because you've always been a good brother to your seesters, even eef they had been annoying. I was amazed that you deed. I saw all you in her so much. Eet was like seeing a girl version of you, wheech we thought you would be. Never trust old wives tales!" She chuckled at that, but Pepe did not show any cheer.

It was an hour later that Pepe went home after listening to his mother and youngest sisters plead that he would stay. When he locked the front door behind him he realized why. Ann had snuck into his home with the spare key he had given to his parents and took everything out that he could kill himself with. That only made him angry at them, as if they did not know him that well.

Pepe ignored the feeling in a few minutes and took out pictures of Pheffe to make a poster for. Yet, every photo of her he wanted to use and there were many. All things that he and Penelope had kept over the years were stored away; Pheffe's hospital bracelet when she was a born, her small cap that covered her head and her first pair of shoes; little black Mary Janes.

Pepe always thought that Pheffe had been extraordinary. He only wished she could have seen that. She seemed like she had the soul of an adult in her child body. She knew things beyond her age and had gone through much. She had been blessed with for sure the best parents and a terrific bundle of uncles and aunts along wit grandparents who showered her with love. Yet, she had no friends; all kids she met despised her for no real reason. Pheffe must have seen herself as a jinx at times, but what a good heart she had. She would stand up for those she loved even if it meant getting into trouble. Pepe realized long before that Pheffe was like his shadow. She admired him and always wanted to make him happy. She even behaved like he did. Both of them had been sweet, innocent little toddlers once who grew into rebels, rebels with good intentions. The only difference was that Pepe had grown out of it; Pheffe never lived long enough to do so. Pepe could not imagine Pheffe being an adult. He had never been in a rush to see Pheffe grow. After all, she would not always be a child. One day, she would be too big to be carried by him or sit in his lap when he read to her. If only it had not ended this way.

Pepe exhaled shakily and then went into Pheffe's room. It felt like a dull museum, lifeless and boring. Yet, what memories dwelled. Pepe glanced at the bed, the pillow was fluffed and the cover on top of the white sheets was pink. The rocking chair where Pheffe would fall asleep in and read or be read to was still.

Pepe refused to cry. He felt the need to be brave for Pheffe. Pepe traced his finger around the purple gemmed heart on Pheffe's necklace. Then suddenly the phone rang returning him to reality.

He slowly went to answer it.

"Bonjour?" he said clearing his throat.

"Pepe?" it was Louis. He sounded scared. "Get down here!! Somezhing happened to Pheffe!"

Not knowing what else could go wrong Pepe listened to his brother, but what awaited him made his heart drown deeply.

The room that Pheffe had been placed in was trashed. The fancy vase on a stand was shattered, there was the red carpet ruffled as if something was dragged across it and then the worst: the coffin did not have Pheffe!

Louis was pacing nervously, wringing is hands.

"Nanette could not reach your house so she called Mom and Dad. She was screaming hysterically, screaming that someone kidnapped Pheffe."

"What?!" yelled Pepe in frustration. It was bad enough Pheffe was gone, now she had to be stolen?!

"I can't find a trace of them," said Shamus, who had been on the floor examining any clues. He could not find any.

Pepe could not longer bear it! He kicked the wall and hard and shouted loud. Then hung his head down, and sunk to the floor letting two small tears from each run slowly down.

Louis suddenly gasped and knelt down to the carpet. Shamus got back down to the ground too.

"Something's not right," Louis said. "The tracks, eef you would call zhem zhat, are going backward and forward. Eef Pheffe was being dragged outside she would have been dragged backwards. Her heels going first eef she was lifeless."

"True," said Shamus.

Then suddenly there was the sound of footsteps and Dr. Paulette and her assistant Aurelie ran in breathless.

"I re-examined the medicine we put in Pheffe's IV- eet's the wrong medicine." Paulette gasped.

"We found empty bottles of a medicine that' never been used in the hospital," continued Aurelie. "Eet was not from our hospital. Eet's the drug from-"

"Let me explain first of all," said Paulette. She took a deep breath and began again. "Een _Romeo and Juliet_ when the friar gave Juliet a drug that would make her appear dead, but she was was eet!!"

"I took eet to my husband," said Aurelie. "He examined eet, and knew because heez family has always studied drugs because they are pharmaceests too."

"Zhe point eez," Paulette concluded. "Pheffe was never dead. She was in a coma. A deeper coma. Eef she had been buried she would have died."

"Zhen, Pheffe was alive when she was kidnapped, zhat explains the carpet." Shamus said with fear in his voice.

"She must have tried to break free from whomever," said Louis hurrying to the broken vase. "She struggled and zhen she was-" He stopped. He looked at one small area on the wall that had a sticky substance. His eyes went wide. "Taped. Where zhis steeckiness eez…eez close to Pheffe's height. He was trying to tape her mouth shut, she dodged fast which caused zhe tape to steeck and zhen be pulled off. Pheffe may die anyway now. I don't even know who would keell her. My neice!"

Pepe's head went up just then. He knew! He finally knew, only one person would try to kill Pheffe. He got up and left with nothing to say. He marched home, grabbed out a small traveling bag, stuffed it with food, bottles of water, and crumpled clothes. He was going to take action! He would find Pheffe himself…and make sure Bryony would never do it again.

"Zhere's one zhing I need," he said.

**ITALY **

Penelope was ready. She did not have enough for a plane, but decided to take a bus as far as it would go and then take the train. Surprisingly they were cheaper. She was content on leaving her family now. Francine and Gianni had a small wedding just a few days earlier and were ready to set off to visit Hershey and then move to Switzerland. Guiliane and Fiorello had a small wedding too the day before Francine and Gianni's and were going to buy a two-story in the same town to take care of Leonardo. Neither of the twins were pregnant and the newly wed couples decided to not have any children, feeling that they were not fit to be parents.

Penelope was dressed in the same clothes she wore when she left France. After hugs from her brother-in-laws she faced her family. She hugged Guiliane first.

"I do love you Penelope," said Guiliane. "Thank you for being the caring one in this family. I understand more than I did before because of you."

"I love you too Guiliane," said Penelope. Then she hugged Francine.

"Thank you," said Francine. "I could not have asked for a better little sister. I love you very much."

"I love you too Francine," Penelope whispered feeling tears in her eyes. "I'll never forget out talk."

"Me neither." said Francine.

"Penelope," said Leonardo. "Promise me that you will not turn around. Go home and be with your family. Be the mother your mother could never be."

"I will," promised his youngest daughter. She hugged him tightly. Leonardo lifted her a little from the ground wishing she was a little girl again. She was not, she was a young woman.

"Papa-" Penelope began to sob. "I'm going to miss you and everyone so much!"

"I know, I know." Leonardo said gently wiping her tears with his right thumb. "It is time for you to go back though. Remember that we love you and you will always be my littlest girl that always had a smile on her face when I was there."

Penelope forced herself to let go and without looking back walked forward. When she was five miles away she turned around and looked at the town she had grown to love. She waved sadly at it and did not look back again.

Once at the bus stop that would head up North, Penelope recalled her sisters wedding dresses. Francine's had been spaghetti straps with a lacey hem while the dress skirt was slimming. In her hands had been larkspur. Her veil was at her shoulders and covered her face until she and Gianni kissed. Gianni had looked very well-groomed. He wore a white suit jacket with black pants with gold cuff links.

Guiliane chose a strapless ball gown with a pearl brooch and long white gloves. She wore a veil that went to the floor that had a flower pattern. She carried bright pink tulips and sniffed them during Fiorello's vows. Fiorello had worn a white suit which Penelope though looked a little silly, but she already had her day. She could only feel gladness for her sisters; they finally found the right men. Even if she would not have any nieces or nephews from them, it was still a good feeling inside.

**FRANCE **

Pepe walked down a familiar street he had not seen in years. He turned into a pawn shop that he once worked in as a teenager; he had a favor to be owed. The store was owned by Philippe, a cheap side owner. He was a slinky, thuggish ferret.

"Well," he said in his usual rough voice. "I zhought I would never see you again." He leaned casually over the wooden counter.

"Philippe, you steel owe me zhat favor," said Pepe. "When I held up zhose two thugs zhat broke een when I was seventeen and I nearly shot one of zhem. You promised me a favor anytime, eets now."

"And your favor eez what?" asked Philippe.

"A gun," said Pepe. "Somezhing small, yet dangerous."

"Oh! Why such a favor?" asked Philippe who was becoming annoying to Pepe.

"My daughter eez een danger," said Pepe. "I need a gone to protect her."

"A daughter??!!" Philippe gasped and then laughed. And laughed and laughed some more.

Pepe crossed his arms across his chest impatiently. "Zhat's hard to believe why?" he asked.

"Of all zhe people I knew that I never expected to settle down you were the one!" laughed Philippe. "Got a photo of her for proof?"

"Why would I need proof?" said Pepe feeling that the subject was going off course.

Rolling his eyes, Pepe whipped out his wallet and took out a picture of Pheffe when she was two with Penelope.

"Oh!" said Philippe. "Cute girl and one hot wife."

Pepe snapped it back before Philippe could say another sensual comment about his wife.

"Sorry." said Philippe. "Fine, I'll give you a gun, a small one. Een fact, one zhats old. Don't care eef you lose eet." He took a gun from one of the cases behind him, a small pistol. Pepe took it and mumbled his thanks, still feeling annoyed by Philippe.

Yet, when he was walking away he felt bad. Did he really mean to kill Bryony? He was not a murderer.

Pheffe had gone through more. She awoke from her coma an hour after her family had left her in her coffin. But right at that moment Tom Queens snuck in to steal what he though was her deep-in-sleep body. He was wrong. Pheffe shot up out of the coffin and started to run when Tom came in the room. He looked shocked! Pheffe recognized him and nearly screamed. Tom yanked her over to the side causing the vase to tip over to tape her mouth shut. Pheffe dodged out and was almost out of the room when Tom lifted her up and slapped the tape painfully over her mouth. Pheffe wriggled out of his arm, but she was being dragged. Then it was a tug-of-war between the two, Pheffe going one way and Tom going the other way. Poor Nanette had been locked in a closet by Tom just minutes before and could not help. By the time she had broken the door down, Pheffe was gone.

Pheffe was put into Tom's small car and Tom banged her head against the car door which knocked her out cold.

"What!" Pheffe's mind cried when her eyes were open. She was in a hotel room (Tom had crammed her away into a big suitcase) and was now tied to a chair with the tape still over her mouth. Tom was sitting on the bed holding a kitchen knife.

"Dad!" Pheffe managed to yell, but it only sounded muffled. "Dad! Daddy! Mom! Mom!" Pheffe just knew now that it was over. Tears flowed from her eyes and she began sobbing. All she wanted now was to see her parents just one last time. The ones who would have sheltered her from a cruel world.

"I do not want to do this." said Tom. "But I am in terrible trouble."

He got off the bed and studied on where to kill her. Her throat would be fast. His heart beat in fear and his mind kept yelling to reconsider but Tom felt like this would do some good. Right?

Pheffe suddenly felt the cold steel come close she inhaled her last and…

Tom flung the knife to the floor.

"I cannot do it!!" he shouted. Pheffe opened her eyes and was surprised to see a grown man cry.

"Are you alright?" mumbled Pheffe; her heart felt compassion for the man who would probably loose his life for what he did not do. That was what Pheffe different from other children, and perhaps typical people.

"Go." said Tom. He took the knife and slowly cut the rope that had her tied. He knew he was not a murderer. Once that was done, he slowly took the tape off of Pheffe. "Your grandmother, Bryony Pussycat, demanded you would be killed. I cannot, mostly because I see your mother in you."

"How?" asked Pheffe who could now talk.

"I am not sure, but something." said Tom. He stared into Pheffe's eyes. "No, it is not your eyes."

"I have Dad's eyes." said Pheffe. "He does say zhat I have Mom's eyelashes."

"That is it!" said Tom with a smile. Pheffe did not smile back, but got out of the chair.

"Where am I?" she asked.

Before Tom could answer, he heard his cell phone ring. It was Bryony who had demanded him to sneak a cell phone into her cell. No one knew.

"Go fast!" said Tom. "I cannot apologize enough for what I was about to do."

"Don't worry," said Pheffe. "I've learned to accept zhings in my young life." She climbed out the window (they were on the first floor) and she slid out after she thanked Tom for not killing her. Tom answered his phone to tell the truth.

Penelope's bus had stopped for an hour in Italy and she decided to eat. It was mid-afternoon since she had left her Pussycat family.

"How will I tell Pepe about how I lost my wedding ring?" she thought. "I don't want any other ring, I want that wedding ring! It means something special to me."

Penelope was still thinking about this when a miracle happened. She ordered a _fish _sandwich. Hungry as she was, Penelope was thirstier and only drank her tea first. Absent-mindedly she fingered through her meal.

"Pepe will understand," she said aloud. "He's not some cantankerous man. After all, he-" She felt something hard in her fish. She fingered trough it more until she realized whatever it was it was round. She pulled it out. She nearly cried with joy. It was her ring! Yes, it was! There were Pepe's initials other than his last name. There were no other Le Pews in the world. Gladly, Penelope slipped it on her finger like Pepe did. Home seemed a little closer.

Pepe tiredly wandered through Paris to the metro. He would go to Orleans and get Pheffe back. He used to love the metro of Paris. It was like an adventure to him, but not this time. Now, it was only a long tunnel that seemed to taunt of what bad things await ahead.

The black traveling bag he had that hung from his shoulder felt heavy. Neatly tucked in one of the pockets was the necklace Pheffe gave him.

"Zhat weell encourage me enough on zhis road." he thought.

As funny as it sounded, he hoped he would see Penelope along the way. Maybe. He felt a strong yearning for her now. He had always given her the courage, now he needed some from her. She had been there when at first the job at Le Eiffel Tower comics had not been so great.

Pheffe ran through the clustered streets not knowing where she was. Everywhere she turned she was somewhere that was only more nooks and crannies. By now, it was one in the morning. Her abduction had been only hours before.

"Where could I be?" she said. "Zhis eez not Paris!" It most certainly was not. She was down in Toulouse. Fear rushed in her as her heart pounded in fright of being away from her comfortable home town. Pheffe actually felt lonely.

"Where to go?" her voice trembled. "I don't know zhe way home." Tears escaped her black eyes as she just stood there on the sidewalk, everyone passing by her, just crying.

"Non," she finally managed to say. "Zhere's always a dawn after a frightening night and zhere weell always be calmness after a storm. I'll get home somehow."

For a few minutes with a slowly drying face Pheffe's mind paced. Finally, she decided that the only way she could see where she was was if she climbed up a roof and got a good view.

"But first, somezhing to eat." Pheffe told herself.

Pheffe took a few free samples of baguette from a bakery and stuffed them in her pockets.

Up she climbed the fire escape of an apartment building. Once on the roof all the saw were the lights of the city. Not like Paris, but it was nice to see some light. Pheffe sat on the roof and ate her bread. When she had eaten only a few bites she stopped and began to sing. A song she loved dearly. It was the lullaby that Pepe would sing her to sleep with. He came up with it himself from a poem he found in his old journal.

_I'm never alone in Paris _

_Sweet sounds gently to by _

_The City of Light gives hope _

_At midnight when I'm awake I stare at the diamond sky. _

_Could they also be amethyst or garnet? _

_The city glows sweetly before my black eyes _

_I'm never alone in Paris _

_Can it get any better than this? _

_The Paris lights are my best friends _

_Until night comes to it sad closing _

_Yet, I'm mystified by the glitter _

_Come what may in my life _

_I'll live to it as it attends_

_Just let me watch the lightly kissed town _

_As it sparkles and dances it slow waltz _

_I'm never alone in Paris _

It was actually there that Pheffe realized the shoes she wore. She smiled.

"Merci Dad." she whispered. While she had been singing Pepe and Penelope were thinking of that song.

Pheffe stretched out on the roof and went into a peaceful sleep. She only awoke when the soft warmth of the sunshine began to rise as if kissed her face.

"Well, no time to dawdle," sighed Pheffe. "I must get home."

Carefully, she climbed down the roof and once she was on solid ground, she wandered South. Pheffe, had not gone far until she realized she was still hungry.

"How does one get food when zhey have no money?" she asked herself. Steal? No! Don't steal! It was wrong! Worried that she would get caught in a sticky situation like Oliver Twist, Pheffe walked forward on and steeped her brain into wisdom.

As it so happened to mischievous boys ran past her both holding a woman's purse. Pheffe did not notice them and was deep in thought. A little too deep. The two boys turned around and with a wicked idea in both of their heads to get out of trouble. They ran back to Pheffe and shoved the purse into her hands and took off.

The police, about four of them just so happened to have been turning the corner with the woman who looked at Pheffe and yelled in anger.

"She took eet!"

Pheffe was shocked over what had happened and froze. Then she knew what to do.

"Here Madame," she said politely.

"You are coming weeth us," said one officer. The woman slapped Pheffe's face which was not called for. "Madame, we weell take eet from here." The woman marched off.

Pheffe was clutched at her wrist and being dragged down the streets.

"I deed nozhing!" protested Pheffe.

"Sure you deed," said another officer. "Now, be quiet and we weell call your parents!"

"Good luck with zhat!" sneered Pheffe. Her temperament rose up high from frustration. Was anything fair?

"Don't snap back!" was the answer. Pheffe lost it! She bit the wrist of the one who was holding on to her. He shouted in pain. Pheffe's teeth actually left a deep impression on his skin.

Once Pheffe was free she ran for her life! The police were used to this situation and followed after her, yelling.

Pheffe's shoes slapped the pavements hard causing a brief echo in the town that was soon drowned by the other sounds. For the long hour Pheffe ran without feeling tired. Then it was early afternoon that she felt a little worn in her knees. She did not stop, not even when she began to loose her breath. Pheffe amazingly could run fast without feeling exhausted, but by now she was getting to a level of exhaustion. Her side began to hurt, and then the other side hurt. She refused to stop. The policemen fell behind some time ago, but she was too focused on getting away. Then finally, she had to stop. She leaned over, hands over her knees, and breathed deeply.

"Good," she thought sarcastically. "Now I'm hungrier!" Pheffe would have collapsed if it weren't for her determination. She walked briskly, but the more she walked the only more lost she became.

She walked upon an old part of the city. The buildings looked like they were from the early 1900's, but they were exquisite. Pheffe walked towards one that was empty and went inside. A grand staircase that curved up the wall greeted her. The halls were mint green and dusty. The floor creaked at every step she took. Wandering around the great house Pheffe wondered what kind of family lived among the walls. Was it a family like hers?

Pheffe sat on the musty floor of what must have been the sitting room. She saw huddle in a corner what looked like a child's small white glove. It was decaying away and Pheffe only looked at it. Pheffe's heart felt sad. There must have been a daughter in this house and what had happened to her would remain a mystery.

Pheffe stretched out on the floor and stared at the ceiling that had a spider web-collecting chandelier. Pheffe stared at it and only dreamed of what it looked like when it was new.

"I wonder what eet looked liked at Christmas," she said. Her voice sounded strange in the silence. "I bet eet sparkled all zhe time. Eef I could have any room I would want eet to have thousands of chandeliers and zhey would sparkle all zhe time." Her eyes became heavy and she fell asleep.

The loud racket of police sirens wailing through the streets awoke her. They were looking for her!

Pheffe jumped up and went up the stairs. A lone vase on a hallway shelf was tipped over (thanks to her long tail,) and it caused a loud crash. The police heard it especially since it was late at night and it was quiet.

They crashed down the door! The one who got bit by Pheffe looked up to see her on her knees peering through the railing.

"Zhere!!" he yelled. The sound of cuffs rattled and jingled. Pheffe ran up the next flight of stairs and hid in what was the attic. It was a dead end right there…unless. She climbed out to the next or building which was built very close to the house.

Pheffe looked out of the dirt coated window. Her eyes went wide, and her lips quivered.

"Better zhan een jail." She said to herself. With that she heaved up the rusted window with what strength she had, but the window was stronger than her. Frantically, Pheffe scattered around the room looking for something to open the window with. The only thing that could work was a loose floor board. Pheffe lifted it up easily since it was coming out of the floor. She jabbed it into the window and it smashed into cuts of glass. Pheffe saw right there that the building next to her was closer than it appeared to be. In fact, if she put the slab out across she could walk it onto the other roof. It was worth the try.

That's not what happened. Pheffe's strength was not much of a match with the floor board and instead of it going across it went downward, making it more into a slide. Pheffe was not too desperate to get splinters in her tail.

"Eef I could just climb down," Pheffe grunted as she cautiously crawled out the window. "I have balance! I won't fall! I won't-"

She tumbled from the window, hit the board and slid backwards. She hit the wall hard. At least she was on the other side. She stood on the ledge and walked sideways. The only thing she never thought about was how she would really escape. She couldn't stay on the ledge! It was just getting worse.

Pheffe was startled to hear lightening crash and then suddenly rain beating upon. Pheffe's had to shut her eyes because the rain began to sting her eyes. Still careful, Pheffe tiptoed on the ledge still trying to figure out what to do. She slipped! Then down she fell and she hit the pavement. The cops leaned their heads out the window in shock of the sudden accident. It was a harrowing sight to see the child on her front side, conscienceless, and the raindrops beating upon her body.

"We better take her," said one. All agreed. Guilt spread across them.

Penelope had finished eating and left a tip at her table. Casually, she went out to check on the bus.

"Still busted," she said to herself as she saw the sight. Lazily, she sat on a bench. She wanted to find a way to make the bus work, but she had never been good with mechanics. She leaned her head back and nearly screamed at what she saw.

A tall, skimpy ginger colored cat who was smoking a cigar was leaning over her.

"Well, aren't you a sight for sore eyes," he said. His voice was gruff.

Penelope felt her stomach drop and her heart pound in fright. She sat up straight and avoided eye contact.

"Name's Julian," he said. He walked slyly to her side. "Where are you heading to?"

"None of your business," trembled Penelope.

"Ohhh…I think it is." said Julian. He sat by her and inched close to her. Penelope inched away. He inched closer. "I find you a rather sexy lady. Interested?"

"No!" said Penelope firmly.

"You may say that, but I think you are really wanting something," said Julian, his voice became husky. His hand reached out to touch her thigh. Penelope jumped up.

"I'm warning you, please don't touch me." she said still shaking.

"I will and you will let it happen," Julian said aggressively. He jumped up about to grab her. But…

SLAP!!

Penelope had struck him down with her left palm. Julian fell unconscious to the ground. Penelope's face was grim. No man would touch her in anyway!! She felt more determined then ever to get home.

**FRANCE **

The night had faded into morning. Groggily, Pepe managed to keep him eyes open. He found himself wandering about Orleans. He wondered why Penelope never took the metro or train to Orleans before they were together. It was faster. He felt emotions of misery and lonesomeness. Then fear would slip into him. Fear that Pheffe was in a great danger and he could not protect her. He thought a lot about what Nancy had said to him.

"No parent eez perfect," he mumbled. "Zhat's no understatement Penelope's mother or mine. Zhat's no excuse for me though." He definitely was coming down on himself to hard.

Nancy and Henry were not perfect parents one bit, but there were so many times to their kids that they seemed to be. Maybe it was because they were married ten years before Pepe came along, so they knew what annoyed or made the other happy. Then Pheffe, a girl version of him: strange thought. Yet, the more he thought about the more it seemed to be true in a small way. Pheffe many times before had always seemed to be a mini version of him, a shadow or a reflection. All Pepe knew was that when he looked into Pheffe's eyes, they were not his all the time, they were hers. Then Penelope's eyes came to thought. The first thing he loved about her was those delicate, then meek, but gorgeous eyes. They said her feeling clearly every time. It was amazing that eyes that were the same eye color could have such different messages.

"Eef anyone asked me what I thought was the most attractive part of my wife I would say her eyes," he said aloud. Talking to himself made him feel comfortable. "I weell find Pheffe and when I do, I weell never let go of her." An image of Pheffe came to him in where she would stretch her arms to him and he would lift her into his arms. Usually, when Pheffe was tired she would do that or if she wanted extra attention. One memory returned in where Pheffe was three and she insisted that she would run errands with him. So she came, saying she no longer wanted the stroller and felt big enough to walk. So she did, for a while. When she was tired she would hug one of his legs and then stand on his foot. So while Pepe walked Pheffe was standing on him, near dozing off. Then when she would droop into sleep, Pepe would carry her in his arms.

Without a doubt, Pheffe felt so safe when Pepe or Penelope carried her. They were fortresses, blocking everything terrible from her. So all she knew was the warmth of their arms, her mother's sweet scent of perfume that smelled of fresh cut roses or her father's strong, but beloved aroma. She had that aroma too.

**TOULOUSE**

Pheffe had awaked from her deep pass out. Her eyes felt blurry and her head felt fuzzy. She felt like a thousand flies were buzzing rapidly around her ears. Any loud noise felt like nails on a chalkboard. There were sounds: footsteps, thuds of doors and voices. Pheffe blinked to see that she was in a small room of a dull tiled ceiling.

"Shhhh…" she heard. She turned her head. It was a fat woman in her forties. "Don't you stir." The woman, a human, took a damp cloth and put it to her forehead. Pheffe realized she was covered by a overly-thick blanket that was navy. Then her poor head began to ache. Her eyes shut again.

"Now," said the police chief. He was sitting in front of Pheffe, who was now awake after her sudden eye-shut. "What eez your name?"

Pheffe looked clueless. "Wha-"

"You don't need to be afraid," said the chief. "Just tell us your name."

"I-I-" Pheffe stammered. Her head felt woozy. "I don't-"

"What about your parents?" the chief continued to ask.

"I don't have any parents," Pheffe managed to say. "I don't know eef I have a n-name."

"Are you sure?" asked the chief with a confused look.

"Oui," mumbled Pheffe. Poor Pheffe's brain was so frazzled from her great tumble that she had lost memory. She could not remember her name, parents or where she was from. If only the police had understood that.

Since no one claimed to know Pheffe, the little skunk was kept at the police station, where she was tended to everyday by the same woman, who was the chief's wife. Two other young girls (their adopted daughters) helped too. Pheffe (who was called Claudia by the force at the station since she had no recollection of her name) spent the next whole week in the room she awoke in, playing with toys, such as building blocks, trucks, paper dolls, and clay. She would pound the clay to help her think because deep in her she knew something, but she could not figure it out. If she felt tired of that, she would sit on her tiny bed and stare out into the window's background. The streets and shops gave a soft glow. Everything was pretty, like a storybook, but nothing really felt like a storybook. Everything went quiet for that whole week, until exactly a week to the day Pheffe had been brought to the station.

Pepe had gone to Orleans, but was upset to find that the Pussycat home was empty. There was greater news that Bryony was in a much longer and severely jail in Italy. Tom Queens turned himself in and would be in prison not to far from her. While that rushed around Orleans, because people knew Bryony more news came that there was an orphaned child staying in the Toulouse police station. Pepe doubted it would be Pheffe, but some instinct in him knew he had to find out. After spending more time on trains to get him to Toulouse, he would find out.

Tiredly, Pepe plodded his way up the thirteen steps of the station. Nervously opening the door, he went in.

"Do you need somezhing?" asked one cop politely who was sitting at a desk.

"Eez zhere a small child here?" Pepe asked. His voice was weary.

"Oui," said the cop, looking suspicious. He did not trust this person. "She's zhis way." He led the way down the halls to a small room.

The chief and his wife were just leaving the room. The cop whispered to the chief who looked suspicious as well.

"You can see her," the chief said politely.

"Merci," Pepe said clearing his throat. He nervously poked his head into the room. No one. Then there was a scuffling noise under the small bed. A small, red, rubber ball rolled out from under and then the clank of a building block. _Pheffe _crawled out. She was still in the same outfit she was supposedly buried in.

"Pheffe!" Pepe gasped in relief. He thought he would cry with joy, but instead he knelt to the floor and was about to scoop her in his arms, but was surprised to find Pheffe shrinking back.

"Who are you?" she asked.

"Pheffe, don't joke!" Pepe said, still happy.

"No, really who are you?" she asked.

"Pheffe, I'm your father," said Pepe in surprisement. Maybe she was kidding.

"I don't have one." she said. She looked serious. Outside the door, the two cops and wife listened. Fear plunged into them. Pepe could be a predator!

"Pheffe, I'm serious." said Pepe. "Let's go home."

"I've never seen you before." _Claudia_ said. "I don't know where I'm from."

"Pheffe-"

"Who's Pheffe? Zhat's the strangest name I've ever heard."

"I named you zhat!"

"Zhat's not my name!"

"Oui, eet eez!"

"My name's Claudia!"

"Pheffe! Where eez zhis coming from?"

The whole argumentation said enough to the three. The chief stormed in. "I zhink you don't know her, you are just trying to keednap her!"

"Why would I do zhat?!" Pepe said. Before he could even protest who he was, the chief heaved him up to his feet and put him in cuffs.

"No!! She's my-" Pepe began to yell.

"Shut up!" ordered the cop and began dragging Pepe down to what was once the cell for "Loons."

_Claudia_ felt sad for the poor skunk. She felt a need to help him somehow. Maybe she could find this Pheffe.

"That fool was a per-" began the chief's wife.

"Don't say zhat een front of zhe child." Said the chief. "Make sure he is locked up tight!" His call echoed down the hallway.

"Pheffe!" Pepe was ragingly yelling. "Pheffe! I love you! You're my baby! My leetle girl! You're my daughter! Your mom loves you! You're her princess! Pheffe!"

Pepe writhed and jolted the best he could, but the cop was stronger than him. Pheffe's face went blank as she watched the adult clad in dark jeans, a black jacket, and dark blue shirt. His face messy from traveling and shoes, just like hers, only going up past the ankles. The cop tore the side bag he had away from him to be searched. Pepe continued to yell which was now breaking into sobs.

"I love you! I love you so much! I would die for you and your mother! Pheffe you know zhat! Pheffe!"

"Don't leesten to heem," said the chief. "He's mad."

_Claudia_ sat on her bed in bewilderment. She was left alone. The sound of a heavy door slammed, dulling the yells and sobs.

It just so happened that _Claudia_ glanced over, and she thought she saw something fall out of the bag. What was it? She opened the door open and saw it. A necklace of silver with a purple gem cut as a heart. It was an amethyst, the birthstone of February. Pepe had made considered it a symbol of what good had happened in his and Penelope's marriage. It had been Pheffe.

Now, _Claudia_ stepped out to touch the fine jewelry. It was cold in her hand. She went back to her room and gazed at it. She traced the little fleur de lis imprinted on the heart, not the gem, the silver part. Something came to her slowly, familiar faces and he was one of them. Then like a shot of electricity! She remembered. How could she forget?!

"Dad!" she screamed. She slammed the door open and raced down the hallway. The wife though caught hold of her.

"Claudia, don't bother heem! Zhat man has no idea who he eez!!"

"Non!!" Pheffe cried. Her cries were drowned out by the cops' running to catch two criminals who were just called. She was locked in the room, thinking she had too much pity for Pepe. Pheffe pounded rapidly on the door, screaming for her father. The long hours passed into night. By 9:00 Pheffe was still crying out. No one listened to her, they just ignored her.

"Let me out!!" she screamed. She kicked at the door. To her astonishment, the door was not very strong, and after at least twenty kicks it broke loose. She ran out and scurried down the halls. The same cop had taken Pepe away to have a liar's detector done on him. Now he was tossing him back into the cell. The wife was running after Pheffe yelling out her incorrect name. The cop, who was slow, was surprised to find that Pheffe nearly dashed into the cell, but the wife grabbed hold of her and slapped her hands, saying she was a little fool. Pepe saw his chance to break free and pushed the solid cell door against the cop. The cop managed to yank on Pepe's arm and shove him down to kick him back in.

"Pheffe!" Pepe yelled again. This time, Pheffe yelled.

"Daddy!!!" her voice rose with longing and fear of the people around her except Pepe.

The other three stopped. The cop and the wife were speechless and even more when Pheffe broke free and collapsed in Pepe's arms sobbing. Pepe had immediately wrapped a tight grip around her small figure. One hand ran into her soft black locks to reassure her.

"Daddy take me home! Please!!" she sobbed into his neck. "Daddy! I love you! I love you! I want to go home!"

Pepe, still on the floor, clung to her and kissed her head. Everything bad was gone it seemed! Pheffe was alive, and back where she belonged for the most part.

The cop and wife were in shock still. Now they could see the truth.

Pheffe was crying and crying so hard she began to hyperventilate.

"Easy Pheff, just breathe," Pepe said calmly. Pheffe cried more at the tender sound of her special nickname. "You're safe. You're safe now." Pepe felt tears of his own run from his eyes of happiness and contentment. "I love you Pheff."

"I love you Dad," Pheffe's voice answered back.


	28. Embraced

I do not own Pepe or Penelope

I do own Pheffe the Le Pew family, Skunkette dolls the _Pepin and Trenton_ characters and the Pussycat family and a minor character named Renny.

_Author's Note: I want to thank you all for being patient! Yes, it's the last chapter of Father and Daughter. It's been enjoyable writing the sweet and glistening eye chapters. I've been very pleased to write this story and there will be more. I plan on a collection of short stories of Le Pew Tails, another sequel to this one and I'm doing a prequel to the first one. There'll be much to learn about our beloved skunk and cat! I listened to lots of moving music to help me write this. I also realized when I was about to upload this it was the series finale of one of my favorite shows. So two things come to a sweet closing today. Thank you for being my readers and lamoure (that's French for love don't ya know?) to you! _

_**Chapter Twenty-Eight **_

_**Embraced **_

The train's thundering clanks did not awake the sleeping child. Pheffe was sleeping in complete contentment as her head lay on her father's knees. Her legs were drawn to her chest and her father's coat was draped on her to keep her warm. Her father, Pepe, stroked her greasy hair and just stared at her with his heart running with such happiness. It felt like a thousand waves of the sea running back and forth on a beach. After what seemed like many years to him, his little girl, his baby girl, was safe. She had overcome the many storms of being away from him and now was hugged by the smooth and bright dawn of safety.

Home was not to far away; just another hour and they would be near Paris. Pepe actually felt relieved that he did not have to threaten anyone with a gun. He felt stupid that he thought that he needed one anyway, but he would go to any lengths to make sure Pheffe was safe. Wouldn't any other father? Perhaps not with a gun, but he did not know what he was up against at the time.

He glanced down at her in awe. Had it really been seven years since she was born? A couple more years she would be ten. Then memories danced by gently.

Pheffe moved lightly and stretched her legs out and off the seat. She smiled in her sleep. She was dreaming about seeing her sweet parents waltzing on a white marble floor with a sparkly night above their heads. Not one nightmare crept nastily into her small head.

Penelope was happy to find that the bus was fixed and it would be on the move in no time. She fingered her wedding ring with cheer. She could not wait to get home. She stared up to the sky trying to picture what Paris still looked like. Of course it could not have changed. Paris would still be the same after only a couple of years. She tried to picture Paris at night with its golden lights and the streets that were paved beautifully. The Arc de Triomphe and the Louvre, the famous sights. She could not imagine living anywhere else. Just Paris was her home. It always would be.

"I only hope that my family has not changed a lot since I've been gone," she said to herself.

"Oh, where have you been too?" asked a voice that had a light Irish accent.

Penelope turned her head to see that a teenage skunk who painfully looked like Joan was standing behind her and was holding a travel map. She had a denim backpack which had rhinestones decorated like flowers on the pockets that were in aqua blue and silver.

"Well," began Penelope, not sure of what to say to the stranger. "I've been taking care of my father and sisters since my mother abandoned them. I've had to stay with them and now I'm going home to my family."

"Oh!" said the teenager. She smiled showing only a top row of purple braces. "You sound like a wonderful lady to do so!"

"I suppose I am," sighed Penelope. "I just hope my husband and daughter won't be too upset of how long I've been away." She thought about the photograph of Pepe when he had braces and she missed him again.

The teenager sat next to Penelope on the bench and crossed her left leg over her right leg casually. She folded her arms across chest as if she had no care.

"Oh, I'm sure they are understandable," she said. Penelope heard her, but she was looking down at the girl's feet. She had teal low-tops that had no laces. They were the kind that had the silver holes. Penelope hadn't seen that type of shoe since…

"Oh! Do you have a name?" the girl asked. "Mine's Renny!"

"Renny?" asked Penelope.

"Oh yes indeed!" Renny said. "Like Penny, just an "R" instead."

"Penelope," was the answer Renny received.

"Ohhhh," Renny breathed. "What a darling name! It sounds like a song that sweetly comes by your ears."

"You say 'Oh' a lot." said Penelope.

Renny laughed an actually pleasant laugh that was as listenable as a soft wind chime.

"I do." She said. "It's a habit I picked up from one of my teachers at the orphanage. My parents left me at an orphanage in Minsk when I was just three. I don't remember it. I was given the option of staying at the orphanage until I was twenty or I could find a career and live on my own. With the orphanage knowing where I was of course. I chose the second and I've been traveling for a whole year now. I love traveling. I call them on my cellular phone to let them know where I'm at and how I'm doing then I go my way."

"Isn't that scary?!" asked Penelope.

"NO!" said Renny with excitement. "I've been backpacking over Europe and now I'm going to fly to Dublin, my roots no doubt." Renny zipped down her teal coat a little to cool off. She had a plain white shirt which was tucked into her dark blue jeans. She ran her fingers through her white bangs and sighed.

"I have an Irish accent because I had it when I was dropped of at the age of three." She said answering a question Penelope might have asked. She then glanced at her watch that was dark blue leather.

"I better get to the airport!" she said standing up. "The orphanage will worry if I don't call them in another hour. Good-bye Miss Penelope." With that she hurried down the streets of Italy to another bus stop which would lead to the airport.

Penelope sat there with light tears. Renny had been a friend for a moment. Penelope wished she had had that kind of courage like Renny. It made her think about her past and if Pheffe had that kind of courage.

Oh, what she did not know. What she did not know about Pheffe's secret life which she would never return to now. Even now Penelope did not know what was ahead of her now, other than she would see her husband, her daughter and in-laws again.

"I just might be the only person in the world who loved their in-laws," she laughed to herself. Although, she figured that others out there probably already did, she just never knew them.

"Too bad for Pepe though," she thought again. "His tried to have him and Pheffe killed. That's an in-law nightmare!"

Penelope was only grateful that they had escaped. Her thoughts were broken from the sound of passengers climbing back on board. Quickly, she hurried over. She glanced down the street as she hurried over to see Renny climbing on the bus. Relieved that the girl would be safe Penelope climb onto the bus.

"Paris, here I come!" she said to herself and smiled. This would be her last adventure by herself; next ones to come would be with her loves. Who knew what was in store?

"Maybe that why Renny loves traveling," she thought. "Never knowing what's in store. The thrill of it."

Sitting at a window by herself, Penelope rested her chin upon her fist and watched as the sky stretched beyond her sight. Her eyelids drooped lightly and knowing that Paris was still long ways away she dozed off to sleep.

The train had stopped. Lifting Pheffe up Pepe carried her off for home. Pheffe did not wake, her sleep was very heavy. She did not even stir when Pepe placed her on her bed and placed the covers over her. Pepe could not even find the courage to leave her and lay on the floor. Just like the time he did the same when Pheffe was a baby and could not sleep.

Penelope awoke from her sleep and stretched out her arms. She couldn't tell where she was, but since she still felt dozy she closed her eyes again. She fell asleep dreaming of Pheffe, trying to picture what she looked like. Hopefully, she wasn't too tall or had aged in some dramatic way since she had last seen her.

"Pheffe will be seven." mumbled Penelope as she went back to dream land.

That was true. In fact it was only a couple of days later that Pheffe was seven. With her overjoyed family to see that she was alright she received a plethora of gifts. At the Le Pew household her aunts and uncles showered her with countless hugs.

"She's going to love my present," said Louis as he brought a huge pink wrapped box down the stairs from his room.

"Well," said Pheffe. "Eet can't be a car because I'm not old enough yet." She was standing at the bottom of the stairs in a dress that Nancy had made for her. It was dark purple and scattered with light blue and light pink flowers. It was sort of a wrap dress, but it looked like a dress from the 30's. Not only that, Pheffe was a matching purple ribbon as a headband in her black hair.

"You look so belle in zhat dress," said Josephine. Her attitude of fashion had calmed down and instead of dressing as impressively like usual she was in simple casual clothes.

"Where do you zhink you got your design skeels from?" asked Nancy. "Now, Pheffe, I've already given you my present to you so you have three uncles four aunts, your grandfather and dad to pick from first."

"No, she opens mine last." said Pepe. "Zhat's an order!"

"Mine second to last!" said Louis. "I had to pull some streengs to get zhis geeft."

"Sure you did," said Diego sarcastically.

"Zhen I'll start weeth grandfather," said Pheffe and she stood in front of him thinking he had it behind his back.

"Now, Pheffe I've geeven zhis to your aunts when zhey were twelve, but I zhink you are old enough to have some." Henry said and took from behind his back a little red box that had a real pearl bracelet. They were small pearls and were so smooth to the eye that Pheffe was afraid to touch them.

"I can't have zhis," she said. "Eet's to beautiful for me."

Henry lifted her into a hug and said. "Say no more! I wanted my granddaughter to have another lovely piece of jewelry for herself."

Pheffe was so surprised by the bracelet she could hardly where it. So she kept it in the box for safety.

Her next present was from Marie and Ann. The twins had pitched in their money to buy her a present that came in two parts. It was a heart shaped key from Ann and then a purple leather journal that had a lock on it from Marie.

Joan bought Pheffe was a set of colored pencils and colored pens for Pheffe, knowing that her niece loved to add color to a blank page.

Josephine, who would have given clothes to Pheffe gave her a set of beautifully designed postcards of famous sights.

Shamus, like his father, thought Pheffe was grown-up enough for the present he got her. It was a jewelry box shaped like heart that had diamonds and amethysts embroidering the silver shape. Inside was a soft felt and pockets for small pieces.

Diego gave Pheffe three new notebooks, all in white. A color Pheffe wanted for a notebook.

"Alright Pheffe," said Louis when she had the box set in front of her on the floor. "Tear eet open!"

Pheffe was careful about not getting any paper cuts when opening wrapping paper, like Penelope. Inside the box she nearly screamed with delight.

Inside the box was a doll, half of her size. It was Jodie. The baby sister in _Pepin and_ _Trenton_. She had on a lacey lavender dress and her eyes were wide open. On her little feet were the little white tennis shoes she had with the doily white socks. Her scruffy black hair had a little headband evening out her bangs and her lips were together like how she was usually drawn. It was like she had stepped out of the comic strip and was suddenly more real that ever before to Pheffe. She even felt like the weight of a real baby as Pheffe lifted her out. Pheffe's eyes were wide with little tears of happiness.

"Eez she really mine Uncle Louis," she said. She hugged the doll.

"Oui," her uncle smiled. "I figured that eef anyone should have one of zhe first Jodie dolls why shouldn't eet be you? You're out leetle critic."

Pheffe had never had a real doll before. Her little Skunkette doll which she got bored of, but never a real doll that could be pushed in a baby carriage or be cradle in the arms.

The best was from Pepe. Since Pheffe already had the shoes he had planned to give her, he had another plan. It was the very first _Pepin and Trenton_ comic book. Then written at the top of the cover in Pepe's best handwriting were the words:

"For my little fleur, on her seventh birthday, with lots of Lamoure, Dad."

Pheffe could not believe what a good birthday it had been! She almost forgot that Penelope wasn't there again.

It wasn't until that night she wanted to talk to Pepe about something she needed to know. She sat on the couch with as they both ate petit furs with the television lightly playing.

"Dad?" she began. She stopped for a moment. "Eef Mom never came back would you-uh-um-well would you…r…r…r…remarry?"

"And why would I do zhat?" asked Pepe swallowing the sweet flavored pastry.

"Well," Pheffe said feeling nervous. "I thought you might zhink zhat I might needed a motherly figure een my life. Like eet was bad to raise me by yourself."

Pepe smiled warmly at his daughter's concern. He lifted her into his lap so she could look into his eyes with the truth.

"No." he said. "Zhere eez only one woman zhat I love and zhat's you mom. No one could be as special or beautiful as she was. Besides, what would make anyone zhink I can't raise a daughter on my own? I know girls. I grew up with four of zhem."

"I don't know why eets bothered me," said Pheffe. "I should know just by how you and Mom acted around each other that you were meant to be. What more proof do I need?"

"You just haven't seen zhat een awhile," said Pepe. "I promise zhat I will never marry again. Once eez enough for your parents."

"Do you theenk Mom weell come back?" asked Pheffe.

"I zhink she weell," said Pepe. "I know she wouldn't abandon the good she's had weeth us."

"Tell me what was zhe first zhing you loved about her," said Pheffe who loved hearing about the romance of her parents.

"Her eyes." Pepe said. His eyes in fact drifted away to memory lane. "Zhey were the first zhing I noticed of her features. They were so beautiful I couldn't remember any other set of eyes I had seen before in my whole life. I could feel my heart just racing from zhe sight. I'm amazed I could breathe normally and act normal."

"I suppose love can surprise your heart the most and first out of everything because zhats where eet starts." said Pheffe. "Although, I weell tell you zhis: I'm glad your neecknames for each other aren't seelly ones."

It was true, Pepe and Penelope nicknames for the other was the first three letters of their names. "Pep," and "Pen,"

"We wouldn't want you to be embarrassed," said Pepe, smiling. "How do you feel now zhat your seven?"

Pheffe held up a hand to have a moment of silence for her to think.

"Well," she said. "I don't feel like eet, but I weell. Hmm… you know what I zhink? I zhink I would look absolutely gorgeous eef I had Mom's eyes. I would be more beautiful zhan I am now." She smiled big.

"Hey!" Pepe said pretending to be offended. "What's wrong weeth zhe eyes you have now? They're like mine!"

"Nozhing's wrong," Pheffe said happily. "I just think that you have the most handsome eyes and Mom's has the prettiest eyes. My eyes cannot be handsome, they have to be somezhing else."

"They're sweetly unique," said Pepe.

"Sweetly unique!" said Pheffe. "I love zhat!"

Just a week later, Penelope's slow bus arrived in Paris. Her heart raced at the sight of her home. She wanted to take it all in one big hug. Not now! She raced down the streets that were familiar, not even the grey skies that began to shower rain could ruin her happiness.

"Home! Free! Safe!" her heart cried.

"Pepe! Pheffe! I'm coming home!" she cried aloud.

Her happiness had blinded her from direction and she was in an alley. That looked familiar. By this time, Penelope was soaked into the material of her clothes. She kept on looking back and forth confused.

She went back the direction she came from, but she was certain she was heading the right way. Then she was worried. What if she was lost?

"No!" said Penelope in anger. "I didn't come this far to get lost!!"

She turned around back to the alley and ran. She was half-way when she hit someone. She found herself tumbling to the ground…again!

Then it hit her! She was in the same alley she had met Pepe in when she ran away from Orleans. She turned to her side to apologize to whom she hit when…

"Pen?"

Penelope looked to see it was Pepe. She lost her breath for a moment. Her heart was pounding. It was like falling in love again. He was there for real and had collapsed like she had.

They both stood up slowly. Pepe would have said something if Penelope had not rushed at him, hitting his back against the wall and hugging him. Her hands running about his arms to make sure he was real.

"Penelope, where have you been?" asked Pepe as he tried embracing her back, but she was still grasping his arms tightly.

"In Italy!" said Penelope quickly because she was so overwhelmed. "I was trying to get home so many times! I couldn't afford it for a long time. I was taking care of my family-" Tears became slowly from her eyes and she began to tremble.

"Easy, easy." reassured Pepe gently and held her. Penelope slowly stopped trembling and deeply inhaled the scent she had missed. She buried her face into his neck inhaling heavily. She felt the warmth in his arms as they pressed her close. She rested her head on his shoulder as one tear leaked from her eye and fell into the black denim of the jacket he wore in the rain.

"Pepe, I'm so sorry for what happened at Orleans," Penelope said, pulling back to look into his eyes, yet not leaving his grasp. "I don't know why I wanted to go with my family now. I just wanted to please my mother for once and I felt I had one last chance. It was wrong! I should have moved on and stayed here. I scared you and Pheffe. Especially our daughter."

"I can't really blame you for leaving," Pepe said to her surprise. "Eef she had been my mother I probably would have felt the same. I'm sorry for how I acted before you left. I don't theenk I handle eet very well."

"No, really I'm the one who's sorry," Penelope said.

"I say we both are," said Pepe reassuringly. "I meesed you so much." Pepe nuzzled against her head.

"I missed you," swallowed Penelope. "I was afraid I would never see you again."

"You don't have to ever again," said Pepe, his warm breath soothing her cold face.

Penelope nodded and smiled at Pepe who smiled back. She felt more tears of relief coming from her eyes and Pepe affectionately and softly brushed them away with his fingers that were once cold from the rain, now tinged with warmth. She glanced to see his wedding ring still in place which only made more tears of happiness. He had been faithful thoroughly.

A happy gasp from a child caught their ears. Pheffe had just turned the corner from getting lost for a moment and was standing there with a smile which then trembled into a quivering expression. Penelope did not even have to move because Pheffe ran rapidly over and began crying. Penelope easily lifted her with one free arm and embraced her while still being embraced by Pepe. Pheffe wrapped her legs around her mother like she did when she was so little.

"Pheffe," breathed Penelope. "How I missed you!"

"Mom." sobbed a very, overwhelmed happy Pheffe. It was all she could say.

"I'm home," said Penelope. "I won't ever go anywhere else again without you two, I love you Pheffe, and I cannot even begin on how much I missed you."

"I meessed you," said Pheffe. She held one arm around her parents' necks to have the three of them together again. "I love you Mom. I love you Dad." Another shower of rain fell.

"I love you Pheffe," said Pepe as he kissed her head. "I love you, Pen." He looked lovingly at his wife.

"Something you should know Pep," she said before she leaned in to kiss him. "I love you."

After those years of being apart they kissed which was just like their first one. Pheffe nestled under their chins smiled, knowing this was how everything should be. Nothing would change about how her parents were. They would always be in love with the other.

"Eet always weell remain," Pheffe said to herself comfortingly and contently referring to her parents love for her and to each other as her parents kissed again with a beautiful and pure love.


End file.
